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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30088662">Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Ninja Uprising</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CinnamonToastCrunch/pseuds/CinnamonToastCrunch'>CinnamonToastCrunch</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angst, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Good Older Sibling Leonardo (TMNT), Good Parent Splinter (TMNT), Humor, Martial Arts, Multi, Mutants, New York, New York City, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Leonardo (TMNT), Random Encounters, Romance, Science Fiction, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 21:15:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>30,331</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30088662</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CinnamonToastCrunch/pseuds/CinnamonToastCrunch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Once upon a time, there were four brothers. These brothers happened to also be teenagers, mutants, ninjas, and...turtles. Like many other counterparts in various universes, they are engaged in a fight for the fate of New York City, and they one day meet a girl who changes their lives forever. </p><p>[An alternative take on the TMNT story.]</p><p>Current Chapter (4): Donatello and Irma vs The Sewer Gator</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Other Relationship Tags to Be Added</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Intrusion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Well, this is my take on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In this fic, I re-write and re-imagine many aspects of the TMNT mythology while also keeping others. I promise you, this story will be a wild ride. :) Without further ado...</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>---</p><p>New York City, the city that never sleeps, and also the city that never stays out of trouble. As usual, there was traffic as far as the eye could see. Cars of various shapes and sizes were stalled together while a chorus of loud horn honks were heard by the dozens of pedestrians scattered throughout the streets.  People of all shapes, sizes, and walks of life. Young, old. Blue collar, white collar. From the snooty, elderly woman walking her toy dog, to the clumsy businessman trying to balance his bagel and his coffee cup as he hurried over to the subway, to the teenager riding on his skateboard down the block. A melting pot of various people trying to live their lives, mostly focused on themselves rather than those around them. Due to this, all of New York City was a target for the vicious criminals stealthily invading and wreaking havoc.</p><p>"<i>It's quite clear, to me, that this is more than just a series of small, isolated incidents... A wave of seeming petty crimes, ranging from the likes of purse-snatchings to breaking and entering, have begun to emerge in the Big Apple in the last few weeks.</i>" </p><p>As people make their way through the city streets, a portly man in a fancy business suit is busy texting on his phone while also juggling trying to eat a hot dog from a nearby cart. Due to this, he was the perfect mark for the predatory criminals currently lurking the city. From the corner of his eye, he saw an unassuming young woman standing near him. After taking a bite and shooting a quick text to his boss, he looked again to see her gone. But then he also noticed his briefcase, containing his laptop and other valuables, was also now gone. Panic settled in quickly, and he dropped his hot dog as he scrambled to look for his missing items. Meanwhile, the thief makes her way into an alleyway close by, soon blending into the shadows, and 'disappearing' from the crowd of pedestrians.</p><p>"<i>Every day, it seems things are getting worse. Some reports claim that the thieves work rather quickly, with victims seemingly being robbed of their belongings within seconds of looking away from them!</i>"</p><p>A delivery man from a popular online service opened the back of his truck, leaving the two doors wide open. He went up to the building he was delivering to, the customer awaiting him at the door. As the pair mull over the electronic clipboard, and the ensuing signature, items were seemingly being ushered away in relative silence. Less than a minute went by during this exchange, and the delivery man went back to the truck, shocked to find that all of the packages were suddenly gone.</p><p>"<i>One bizarre aspect to this 'silent crime wave' is the fact the police have yet to come up with a single eyewitness. Only a few vague reports of teenagers and young adults have been filed.</i>"</p><p>The young woman who stole the briefcase along with the teenage boys who took the packages from the back of the truck converged in a back street, waiting briefly for their ride. A white, unmarked van arrived, with a masked man, clad in dark gray, gesturing at them to load the goods in the back. Once they finished, the youth themselves went into the van, and shut the doors behind them. While the teen boys sat together, giving each other high fives over their victory, the young woman looked out the window with a pensive expression on her face. Then the van proceeded to drive off to its destination.</p><p>"<i>Who could be behind these mysterious crimes? Could this be a series of random, isolated incidents? Or is there a deeper conspiracy afoot?</i>"</p><p>Upon arrival at their hide-out, a grandiose warehouse that fell upon disrepair before the current 'occupants' took control of it, the juvenile delinquents jumped out of the vehicle, taking their spoils inside. There were many others there, of varying ages though most appeared to be teens. An assembly line was formed that consisted of opening casings, removing the items within, then sorting them into piles of stolen goods. The aforementioned young woman went in, carrying what she had taken. As she set the briefcase down on a table, she ran her fingers through her auburn hair, eyes half-lidded as she wondered if this would be good enough of a steal for her initiation. She looked up, finding one of her superiors standing in front of her now. A Japanese girl, also an older teenager, wearing dark robes scrutinized the item, then gave a nod of approval. A small smile formed on the auburn haired girl's face, glad she had succeeded, and proceeded to join the others in dismantling and organizing the loot.</p><p>"<i>The police continue to work around the clock, trying to come up with answers. We'll report more updates as this story develops. Back to you, June.</i>" The reporter on the television finished her statement as she looked into the camera.</p><p>June proceeded to take the lead, grinning. "Coming up next, Philanthropist Eric Sacks is planning to host a charity event in--"</p><p>Leonardo had shut the TV off, then turning to look at his three mutant turtle brothers. "Were you guys paying attention to the news?"</p><p>Donatello was in the corner of the den, tinkering at the workshop that was set up for him there. "I had a listen, yes."</p><p>Raphael lounged on the couch, casually playing a game on his red and blue portable device. "Sure, whatever."</p><p>Michelangelo popped in from the kitchen, munching on a slice of extra, <b>extra</b> cheese pizza. "What'd I miss?"</p><p>Their responses made Leo sigh in frustration. "It's obvious that this string of thefts is likely related to the Foot Clan. You know, the guys we're investigating currently."</p><p>Mikey gulped down the rest of the pizza then sat in front of the couch, near Raph, pulling out his own gaming console. "Why do you think they called themselves 'The Foot'?"</p><p>"Guess they weren't very imaginative..." Don remarked as he fiddled with what looked like a carburetor. </p><p>Rolling his eyes, Leo said, "Guys, focus. Please."</p><p>"Yeah, guys, <i>focus</i>." Raph didn't look up from his game. "Leo wants to keep playing detective, and wants us to play along."</p><p>"This is <b>not</b> a game to me, Raph. And it shouldn't be a game to you either!" Leo emphasized his point by taking Raph's game away from him.</p><p>A frown formed on Raph's face, unamused that his own playtime was interrupted. "What do you want from us, Leo?" He then got up, swiping his game back with a glare. </p><p>"I want you guys to feel some motivation for this mission!" </p><p>Mikey raised his hand. "I feel motivation, Leo! I mean, I do like to consider myself ready for anything!"</p><p>Leo grinned. "See, Don and Raph? Mikey's got the right idea!"</p><p>"That's why I'm ready for your sneak attack, <b>Raph</b>!" Upon his proclamation, Michelangelo began to press the buttons on his touchpad rapidly.</p><p>"Ugh! Dammit, Mikey!" Raphael began to do the same, trying to counteract whatever it was Mikey was doing.</p><p>Groaning, Leo slid his hand down his face. Donnie approached his older brother, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Leo. Where you lead, we'll follow. We understand this is very important to you."</p><p>"It's not about me. It's about...Splinter." </p><p>A solemn look appeared on Donatello's face. "Right, we know that." Michelangelo and Raphael stopped playing, wearing similar expressions to Donatello's.</p><p>Leo decided to make a proposition. "How about we just...do a quick patrol tonight? Don and I, Raph and Mike?"</p><p>Folding his arms, Raph replied, "Fine."</p><p>"Yeah, I can go for a quick romp across the city!" Mikey exclaimed, doing a quick stretch whilst still holding his game.</p><p>Looking at each of his brothers, Leonardo felt relieved that they at least wanted to get out of the lair, and at least try to fulfill their mission. For the time being, anyway. Well, he kept trying to convince himself it was their mission when, really, it was somewhat more <i>his</i> own mission. This mission, however, was important to him, because Leo wanted to make a difference, and put a stop to the evils of the Foot Clan. One way or another. He knew he wouldn't be able to accomplish this goal if he didn't get help, and his brothers were the only ones he could turn to for that task. Problem was, he sensed that their interest in this task was waning. They just lacked the drive to set forth and do this, though Leo had no idea what he could do to remedy that.</p><p>---</p><p>Inside the hide-out that housed the Foot Clan, a group of the hoodlums was preparing for an upcoming mission. Although they weren't worthy of wearing their actual uniforms yet, they still wore coordinated black full body suits along with similarly colored bandanas to put over their eyes in an effort to better hide their identities. After tying her red hair in a loose ponytail, the aforementioned young woman took a look at her reflection in a mirror that she had stolen a few days ago. There were still many things about her new life that she was worried about, given that she was rather new to the whole 'ninja thief' thing. However, being involved in the Foot Clan these last few weeks made her feel so exhilarated, and <i>alive</i>. Not to mention, she was putting her skills to a better use here than she had going to pointless classes in high school, and working crappy odd jobs that paid in peanuts.</p><p>"Preparing for your initiation tonight, Robyn?"</p><p>Robyn turned, finding her superior behind her. She bowed immediately. "Karai-senpai, hello."</p><p>A small smirk was drawn upon Karai's lips. "At ease. You don't need to continue being so formal."</p><p>"I...want to be, though. I owe you so much, senpai!" </p><p>Karai put a hand on her shoulder. "You've been rising up the ranks quicker than most here. You should be proud of yourself."</p><p>A grunt came from the side, prompting Karai and Robyn to look that way. Walking up to them came an imposing figure, a tall, bald Japanese guy who didn't seem to be much older than they were. Yet this dark figure exhibited a stern nature that seemed to bring out much anxiety in Robyn. Karai, however, was not phased by him. He gave a lingering stare at both girls before he spoke to them. "There have been interlopers interfering with Master Shredder's business recently. Be prepared for anything, Karai."</p><p>"I didn't know you <i>cared</i>, Tatsu." </p><p>"I don't care for you. I care about our empire. Your approach is careless, and you take too many risks."</p><p>Rolling her eyes, Karai responded, "Lighten up. I have a handle on this. If any of these so-called interlopers cross my path..." Karai pulled out her blade, then proceeded to cut an empty shipping container in half. "I believe that's self explanatory."</p><p>Tatsu was not amused by her antics, sneering at her actions. "I do not understand why our master has such a high regard for you." </p><p>Robyn had been observing both of them, mostly in awe of Karai, and with contempt towards Tatsu. Still, she kept quiet, understanding her place in this clan. Such opinions needed to be kept to herself.</p><p>"Maybe you should go back to whatever it is you do in your spare time, Tatsu. Gardening or watching chick flicks, or whatever."  Karai gestured at him to 'shoo'. In return, Tatsu scowled at her, then retreated from the vicinity. Thus Karai turned her attention back to Robyn. "Let's see what you've got, hm?"</p><p>"Right! I won't let you down!" Robyn clenched her fists, determined to succeed.</p><p>---</p><p>Another late night in the city, another chance for Raphael to stretch his legs outside the lair. Of which he was currently doing atop the building of a locksmith business that also acted like an apartment complex. When he finished stretching, he began to twirl his sai, feeling the boredom of waiting around begin to settle in. Michelangelo stood near him, currently flipping through a comic book he brought with him to keep the said boredom at bay. Glancing over at his brother, Raph asked, "Which issue is that, man?"</p><p>"Thirty two. It's pretty good. Wanna have a read with me?" </p><p>He stopped messing with his sai, placing them firmly back on his belt. "Nah. We're supposed to be looking out for suspicious activity. Or whatever."</p><p>Mikey sighed, rolling the comic up then putting it into his belt the way Raph had done with his weapons. "It's pretty cold out here tonight. Might've been a good night to stay in."</p><p>"Guess so," Raph said as he went over to the edge of the rooftop. "You know how Leo gets. He wants to go after the Foot, and we're going along for the ride..."</p><p>"I'm surprised you even went along with it tonight. We had a pretty good thing going with our game." </p><p>"...It's for Splinter, right?" He looked out at the city, not at anything in particular. "Besides, this is the only thing that gives our lives any sort of meaning. We should probably do more with our lives than lounge around in our sewer den."</p><p>"Speak for yourself, dude." Mikey went over, standing next to him. "I happen to enjoy lounging! Especially with a comic book or game in one hand, and a slice of ooey-gooey pizza with every topping ever."</p><p>Scoffing a little, Raph retorted, "You're a real goofball. I mean, I like that stuff too, but...I dunno, I want to do more with my life. Just don't know what or how. Going after the Foot Clan guys is the closest thing I've got to an actual purpose right now."</p><p>Michelangelo wasn't really sure what to say to that. It never really occurred to him that his brother was actually unsatisfied with his life. Was it really that surprising, though? Going on these little hunts, and preventing the thieves from committing crimes was all they had going for them. Even then, it wasn't like they had succeeded in catching them in a big bust or anything, it was always 'small potatoes'. It didn't feel like they were even making much of a dent on their operation. Before Mikey could ponder their situation any further, he caught something from the corner of his eye. Across the street, a suspicious figure in a gray hoodie was lurking about. "Whoa, look at that!" </p><p>Raph turned to where Mike was looking. "Finally, something exciting going on tonight."</p><p>"Wait, let's get in our disguises," Mikey lifted his own trench coat, "and follow him. See if he really is a bad guy."</p><p>"Meh. I prefer attacking first then asking questions later."</p><p>"Silly Raph. Don't worry. If he's bad news, I'll let you off your leash."</p><p>Raph groaned, grabbing a hold of his coat and hat. "Woof."</p><p>"Good boy!" </p><p>Down below, the hooded individual made their way down the street, stopping every few paces in order to look at their surroundings. Raphael and Michelangelo, decked out in coats and hats, managed to cross over to the other side then drop down from a nearby building into an alleyway. They began to pursue their mysterious target, attempting to obscure their position by blending in with the dark areas around them. Sensing something was up, the one in the hoodie stopped, then took a long look around. Michelangelo, being a scamp, managed to get behind the stranger then tap their shoulder. </p><p>"What the--" the hooded one turned, surprised.</p><p>"Hey, so, are you an evil doer or what?" </p><p>"Mikey!" Raph shouted, knowing the jig was up. </p><p>Since the pair of mutant turtles were obscured by the shadows, the hoodie person had no idea who they were dealing with. "...I'm not an evil doer." Instead they decided to use this opportunity to their advantage. "I'm looking for a jewelry store called Zayla's. I've got some intel that something's going to go down there."</p><p>Raph decided to intimidate the twerp in front of him, taking a step forward, and cracking his knuckles as a demonstration of power. "Intel, huh? We're supposed to believe that?"</p><p>In turn, the hooded one tried to do the same thing he did, attempting to appear menacing as well. "You believe whatever you want to believe."</p><p>"I believe you're looking for trouble, and at this rate, you probably found it."</p><p>Mikey felt the need to step in now. "Down, boy!"</p><p>"Outta my way, bro! This guy's mine!" Raph took a hold of the fool he intended to pummel into the ground, which pushed the hoodie back, and revealed who this was. Although the lighting was still pretty bad in that area, Raph could make out that this person he was holding onto had shoulder length red hair, brown skin, and angry looking eyes with dark irises. On top of that, this dainty little loser was... "You're a girl!"</p><p>"So what?" She tried to rip her arm away from him, but his grasp was too tight. </p><p>Making a face, Raph roughly let the teen girl go, and she nearly toppled over. "I wasn't going to beat you up or anything. I just wanted to scare you a little, so you'd spill the beans on what you were up to, kid."</p><p>Dusting off her jacket, she said, "If you say so. Though you don't sound much older than me, so calling me 'kid' seems pretty rude."</p><p>Mikey leaned in to whisper into his brother's ear. "She's pretty cute, huh?"</p><p>"About as cute as a yappy chihuahua..." Raph replied sourly.</p><p>"Look," she stared straight at them, "are you guys gonna help out this yappy chihuahua or what?"</p><p>"I'll lead the way!" Michelangelo exclaimed enthusiastically, skipping in a joking manner as he did so.</p><p>The redhead put her hoodie back up, then looked toward Raph. "If you're looking for a fight against bad guys, you might just find it at Zayla's...if my info's good. Just saying."</p><p>Raphael watched as the 'kid' briskly tried to keep up with Michelangelo. He took a long, deep breath before going after them. This was going to be a long night, wasn't it?</p><p>---</p><p>Leonardo and Donatello stuck close to each other as they made their way through the maze that was the back alleys of New York City. The pair moved swiftly yet carefully as they traversed the various obstacles in their way such as dumpsters, piles of cardboard boxes, and slumbering homeless. Donatello followed his leader's instructions without hesitation, going in whatever direction Leo gestured at him to head in. Part of it was that Donatello trusted Leonardo, of course. The other part was that he was too busy working on a project in his mind, and allowed himself to be led along on this wild goose chase. This particular pet project was an important one, one that benefitted his entire family, thus he felt justified in giving it so much attention compared to the task at hand. When they came to a sudden halt, Don noticed this, and took a defensive stance with his bo.</p><p>"What's going on?" </p><p>"At ease, Donnie," Leo motioned at him to relax. "I...just wanted to take a break."</p><p>Don blinked, easing up. "A break? You're usually on a warpath during these excursions."</p><p>Leaning against the brick wall, Leonardo looked upward. "I am, aren't I?"</p><p>Donatello decided to stand beside him, though he set his sights down at his feet. "Ever since Splinter told us the story about, you know, what happened to him... You've changed. It was subtle at first, but...it became more obvious as time passed."</p><p>Leo stayed quiet for a few moments, pondering his brother's words. "I suppose I did change. I was hoping we'd all be in on this mission together. But Raph and Mikey are only slightly invested in this, and you...have something else you're focusing your attention on, don't you?"</p><p>"Heh, yeah, you got me there."</p><p>"I guess I just thought we'd all be in on this together."</p><p>"Leo," Don then looked toward him. "I do want to stop the Foot Clan. I think Raph and Mikey do, too. I guess it's just...I don't know. We feel kind of disconnected because we're all trying to kind of...figure ourselves out right now. You seem so set on doing this, and we just don't feel the same way you do, even though we do want justice for Master Splinter."</p><p>This made Leo frown. "Maybe I've been pushing you guys too much. I put too much pressure on all of you to go on these hunts."</p><p>"We've <i>chosen</i> to do this, Leo. We're not mindless drones who can't think for ourselves."</p><p>"Still," began Leo as he parted away from the wall, then began to pace about. "I could just carry this burden on my own."</p><p>Just as Don was about to respond to that, both of them tensed up at the sounds of something metallic being picked at from across the street. Leo peered over to find a lone dark figure currently attempting to break into a jewelry store called Zayla's. Don gently hit Leo's arm, alerting him to another one seemingly disabling the alarm system. It was quite clear to both of them that these were the Foot, and they were stirring up trouble. There wasn't any time to alert their brothers, they had to move in fast to minimize the damage they were about to do. They decided to quickly put on their trench coats to disguise themselves, and begin the fight.</p><p>---</p><p>There's something weird about these guys, the red haired girl thought to herself as she walked by their side. Tucking some hair behind her ear, she glanced over at her companions to get a better look at them. Since they were walking through a dimly lit area, she was unable to see their faces very well. She still wondered who they were, and what they were really after. Unfortunately, she would have to put her trust in this pair of weirdos if she wanted to get to the bottom of what was going on. When she cleared her throat and got their attention, she decided to engage with them in some conversation, for more clarity on what sort of people they were. </p><p>"As I mentioned before, I got intel on what is supposed to go down tonight. What I didn't mention was...I...got it after I snooped through my sister's text messages." </p><p>Raphael groaned. "Oh? Is your sister one of these bad guys?"</p><p>"No! At least...I don't think so. The texts were mostly talking about some kind of Foot Clan initiation happening that night, that they'd be hitting up Zayla's. My sister just has some bad apples as friends." She wasn't even sure she believed that.</p><p>Raphael and Michelangelo looked at each other, neither really buying that either. "Why are you doing this then? Why risk going to a place that's probably getting robbed?" Raph asked her, one eye closed as he scrutinized her.</p><p>"Glad you asked. See, I'm hoping to report on it if it's true. I need a hot story for my school newspaper."</p><p>Raph promptly laughed at the notion. "A school newspaper? You're joking, right?"</p><p>"No, I am not, you jerk! I'm hoping the story will then get picked up by an actual publication as well. I want to make a name for myself in the biz from a young age."</p><p>"What <i>is</i> your name, anyway?" asked Mikey. "I'm Michelangelo, but <i>you</i> can call me Mikey."</p><p>"April. O'Neil. April O'Neil." </p><p>"Sure, whatever, April. O'Neil. April O'Neil." Raph snickered.</p><p>April shook her head. "Was that <i>really</i> necessary."</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>Mikey lightly pushed Raph. "Don't mind Raphael here. He's really cool, but he's also...seriously inconsiderate." </p><p>"I'd use plain rude, personally."</p><p>"Hey!" Raph glared interchangeably between the two of them.</p><p>In the distance, the three of them saw some shadowy figures attempting a break-in at what appeared to be Zayla's. Raph pulled April into the alleyway, with Mikey following in. Then they peered around the corner again to observe the group disabling the alarm, and picking at the door lock. </p><p>"Looks like April's intel was right," said Mikey.</p><p>Raph pulled out his sai. "Let's get dangerous."</p><p>"Whoa, whoa." April's eyes widened at the sight of his weapons. "So you've got... I mean, yeah, that's pretty dangerous. You're not planning to <b>kill</b> those people, are you?"</p><p>"I'm not going to kill them. I'm just going to put the fear of <b>God</b> into 'em." </p><p>"Raphael was it? Yeah, you've got issues." </p><p>Raph twirled his sai, then smirked at her. "Sure do."</p><p>Mikey leaned in a bit, whispering into her ear. "We're gonna try to get him into some kind of therapy thing. Maybe you can join the intervention."</p><p>"We're moving in, Mikey." </p><p>"Whoa, wait. Her, too?" Michelangelo pointed at April.</p><p>"Figured our ace reporter here's going to jump into the fray anyway."</p><p>April folded her arms. "Yeah, why not? I know some karate. I can handle myself."</p><p>"Karate. Yeah, great. Tell me you're a black belt at least..." Raph sighed.</p><p>"Brown..." </p><p>His patience with this kid was wearing thin, but he was trying not to pop his lid. "Just...don't get yourself killed."<br/>
"<br/>
"I'll try. Really."</p><p>Mikey nodded, bringing out his nunchucks. "Let's party, guys!"</p><p>---</p><p>As Raphael, Michelangelo, and April charged toward the Foot Clan hoods, they were suddenly intercepted by Leonardo and Donatello. Shock crossed Leo's face, his mouth dropping open slightly. What was a human girl doing with them? Don wasn't very pleased with the presence of a stranger in their midst. Raph glowered, figuring he was in for a verbal rumble with Leo. Mikey put his hands behind his shell, glancing over at the confused April as she tried to figure out why all these guys were so into the trench coat look. </p><p>"So, April, what's your sign?" asked Mikey with a grin, breaking the silence.</p><p>April's eyebrow quirked. "Sagittarius?"</p><p>"Whoa, not sure if we'd be compatible..."</p><p>Leo turned to him. "Mikey!" Then he glared at Raph. "Raph! Who is this?"</p><p>April stepped forward, sensing this situation needed to be defused. "I'm April O'Neil. I'm here to help you guys. And you're here to help me. It's a symbiotic relationship." </p><p>"Is that so? MIKEY! RAPH!" </p><p>"Leo, this is totally what it looks like!" Mikey exclaimed.</p><p>Leo rolled his eyes. "I can't believe you guys revealed yourselves to a...h-u-m-a-n!"</p><p>"I...can spell, you know," April put her hands on her waist. "Also, what do you mean by that?"</p><p>"No time for chit-chat." Raph grabbed Leo's shoulder, forcing him to look ahead at the Foot Clan thieves whose undivided attention was on the group. </p><p>Don took a hold of his staff. "Well, we're outnumbered here, so let's hope we can all handle these guys."</p><p>"Only one way to find out..." Leo remarked as he readied his own weapons. April put her hoodie up over her head, hoping not to get recognized.</p><p>Karai made her way through her group of minions, a smug expression on her face all the while. "So, you're the guys who keep butting into our business?" </p><p>"We're committed to putting a stop to your dirty business, scum," proclaimed Leonardo fiercely, pointing one of his katana toward Karai.</p><p>"I do commend your bravery. It will be the death of you, though. Quite literally." Karai took her own katana out, then proceeded to attack him. This signaled to the others that it was time to strike, many of them charging in to assault their foes.</p><p>Michelangelo was busy fending off a couple of Foot initiates with his nunchucks, while back-to-back with Donatello as he, similarly, used his bo to fight off the ones coming at him. After Mikey whacked a guy across the face with the baton, he turned to Don with a bright eyed expression. "Let's turn this into a contest! First one to eight down wins!"</p><p>Don chortled. "Eight? Let's do ten. And <i>when</i> I win, you do my chores for a week." He stopped speaking, using his bo to hit three guys in multiple spots then ending his assault by hitting their foreheads until they passed out. "I need the spare time to get my special project in order."</p><p>As Mikey dealt with two guys trying to come at him at the same time, he replied, "When I win, you're buying me any and all pizzas I want for a week."</p><p>"Deal!" </p><p>Don and Mikey shook hands, then turned, both of them using their weapons in succession on a random mook who attempted to interrupt them.</p><p>Robyn chose to go up against Raph, throwing a shuriken at his face, which he then deflected with one of his sai. "Nuh uh uh," Raph said after. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to aim dangerous projectiles at people's faces?" This only served to anger her, and she began to throw more, while watching two of her fellow ninja sneaking up to ambush him. He used his sai to, once again, evade the shurikens landing on him. Due to the distraction, he was unable to avoid the barrage of kicks aimed at him from the pair on his sides. Raph hollered as he struggled to fight back. From the corner of his eye, he could see Robyn pulling out a kunai, and preparing to use it on him.</p><p>Suddenly, a janitorial cart was pushed into one of the guys assaulting Raph, giving him a chance to fight back by flipping the other guy over his shoulder. Both Robyn and Raph look over to find the hooded April standing there, heaving. It seemed she had been the one behind that 'blitz attack'. Robyn tried to stab into Raph, though he managed to block her with his sai, then fended her off with a hard shove that knocked her down. </p><p>Raph turned to April. "Nice <i>karate</i> move there, kid."</p><p>"Call me kid one more time." </p><p>The mask Robyn had tied around her head had loosened, then fell off as she was sitting back up. April's eyes widened as she realized the Foot member fighting Raph was her own sister. Before she could react further, Robyn threw the kunai at her. April managed to move her head out of the way just in time. One of the other mooks put on an offensive stance, then began to attempt punching April. After blocking the first punch, she took another one to the gut, which knocked the wind out of her. </p><p>Raph saw April needed help, however, Robyn then went back for seconds after taking out another kunai to use against him. "If you think I'm gonna let you use me as a target for you to practice on, you got another thing comin'!" </p><p>"More like I intend to cut that tongue of yours out," said Robyn as she kept trying to inch closer to him. </p><p>During this time, Leo and Karai were quite evenly matched in their fight. Each time one would try to strike, the other had a counter move ready to block them. Their blades continued to clash against each other in a rhythmic way, almost like a dance of sorts. Both of them held onto their weapons tightly, neither letting their guard down. Karai wore her cocky smirk, while Leo frowned the entire time. The other Foot Clan members dared not interfere as Karai always made it clear that she hated interruptions when it came to swordplay.</p><p>"You're skilled, I will admit," she commented as she jumped back to take a brief break.</p><p>Leo panted, adhering to the pause momentarily. "Don't condescend me..."</p><p>"I mean it. Though it sucks I'll have to behead you and your little companions for getting in the way of our heist here." Karai mock shrugged at him. Leonardo decided against further chit-chat, opting to go in for another blow against her. Of course, Karai managed to block it with ease. She nodded toward some Foot behind him, which seemed to be a command of some kind that they heeded to. </p><p>April wanted to fight back against the adversary she was up against, but she was struggling. The mook landed a kick to her side, knocking her down. As she attempted to get back up, he then grabbed her by the hair, and punched her across the face.</p><p>Raphael watched this happen, the rage that was already building up inside of him boiled over. Dropping one of the sai he had been holding, he reached for Robyn's neck. This turn surprised her, and Robyn jumped back before he could presumably choke her. Since he was now free from her assault, Raph rushed over to April. "Hey..." He checked her over, noting that her face was swelling up from the wallop she received, though at least she seemed to be okay otherwise.</p><p>Robyn was about to go for Raph again until one of her peers gestured for her to go steal from the jewelry cases, as Karai had ordered. She knew the initiation was more important than fighting against any of these weirdos. Thus she went toward one of the glass displays, smashing it with her kunai, proceeding to then grab what she could.</p><p>Although Donatello and Michelangelo tried their best to keep up with their fights (and their bet), they found themselves unable to fend them all off as their numbers were too great. </p><p>"These guys just won't let up!" Mikey cried as he kept trying to block one of them with his nunchucks.</p><p>Don, similarly, kept going on the defensive. "Maybe we'll call this one even? I think we each took down ten of them."</p><p>"Nine and a half. But sure!"</p><p>This was when Donatello noticed Raph was carrying the passed out April in his arms over to them. "What? What happened?"</p><p>"She took a beating... We need to help her!" There was a panic in Raph's voice as he was afraid that she was worse than she looked (and she didn't look so great at the moment).</p><p>"Leo! Hey!" Mikey waved his arms, trying to get his leader's attention. "We need you over here!"</p><p>When he heard Michelangelo's voice, Leonardo decided to end his match with Karai, because his brothers came first. Since Karai was close enough, he decided to lift his leg, pressing his foot against her abdomen then pushing her away from him. "This isn't over!" He declared to her before he sheathed his weapon to go to the others. </p><p>"Certainly not." Karai looked toward the Foot members left standing, most of which were carrying expensive goods in their arms. A police siren was then heard in the distance, likely having been called due to the scuffle. "It's time for us to go!"</p><p>"What about them?" One initiate asked, motioning at his fallen brethren. </p><p>Karai wrinkled her nose, then clicked her tongue. "Guess they just couldn't make the cut." With that, she signaled at the others to follow her out. Robyn looked toward their foes for a moment, feeling something tugging at her chest, almost making her feel regret over what happened. However, she pushed those sentiments aside, deciding to flee the scene.</p><p>"What happened to her?" Leo asked, now looking over April.</p><p>"...She got hurt, Leo..." Raph murmured, still in a state of shock.</p><p>Leonardo shut his eyes, frustrated. He <i>knew</i> something like this would happen. The human girl had just gone and gotten herself injured, on their watch. Now it was their responsibility to tend to her wounds, and keep her safe for the time being. Although he wanted to lecture his brothers on their part in this whole mess, he decided to bite his tongue. After all, they were already stressed out from their current predicament. "We need to go back to the lair."</p><p>"Shouldn't we take her to a hospital?" Mikey asked.</p><p>"For now, we'll see if we can mend her without resorting to that. It seems she isn't suffering from anything severe. Right, Don?"</p><p>Donatello nodded. "Right. Let's get somewhere safe. And fast." He referred to the sounds of the cop cars coming closer.</p><p>The four turtles departed for their sewer den. Raph continued to hold onto April, with Mikey and Don in tow. Leo stayed behind them, vigilantly ensuring they were retreating safely.</p><p>---</p><p>April ended up on the turtles' soft couch with a pillow underneath her head. On Don's instructions, Raph kept an ice pack on the part of her face that was slowly swelling up. Don came back from the laundry room, having brought back in a clean blanket to put over her. Leo stood off to the side, pensive. Mikey...was nowhere to be seen in the sewer.</p><p>"Where did that knucklehead go?" Raph asked no one in particular.</p><p>Don shrugged. "I have no idea."</p><p>Leo huffed. "<i>He's</i> a knucklehead, Raph? Really, both of you should have known better than to bring a human into the fold!"</p><p>Typically, Raph would get pretty angry whenever Leo would use that accusatory tone on him. However, he felt an overwhelming guilt after seeing the girl get beat like that. What had he been thinking, indeed. He took a deep breath, hanging his head in shame. "I know. I messed up."</p><p>Raising his eyebrows, Don said, "That's...different."</p><p>This didn't surprise Leo, as he could see that Raph felt remorse for what he had done. He wanted to forgive him, maybe give his brother a pat on the back or something. But Leo was still too upset and on guard to do such a thing. The notion that this girl could wake up at any moment kept creeping up in his mind, and it made him apprehensive.</p><p>Before anything else could be said, Mikey walked through the circular entryway that led into their home. "I'm here!" In his arms, he was carrying three pizza boxes.</p><p>"Pizza? Are you serious?" Don facepalmed. </p><p>"I figured she'd be hungry when she woke up! I got cheese, cheese and pepperoni, and...vegetarian supreme, in case she's into that sorta thing." </p><p>"You're <b>supremely</b> a lost cause!" Raph groaned. </p><p>"How is she doing, anyway?" </p><p>"Still out cold. At least there's more color to her cheeks now... black, blue, red..." </p><p>"Boys?" The sound of that voice prompted all four of the turtles to turn around, the color drained from their faces. Splinter stood at the doorway now, gazing out at his sons. Something felt off about their behavior, mostly because their expressions said it all. He quickly moved over to where they were standing in front of the couch. To his shock, he saw the dormant April lying there. "Who is this? What is she doing here?!" A withering stare was directed at each of them soon after.</p><p>"Look, I can explain..." Donatello wasn't sure if he could, not in a succinct manner. </p><p>Splinter went over to April, placing his hand over her forehead. "This poor girl... What happened to her?"</p><p>April's brown eyes began to flutter open right then, and Splinter, and the four turtles tensed. At first, she was disoriented, and her sight was unfocused. This resolved within a few brief moments. The four green blurs, and the brown one soon revealed themselves to be...four mutant turtle teenagers along with an older, frail rat gentleman. Her mouth suddenly dried up, her eyes practically popped out of their sockets, and she sprung up from the couch, screaming to the top of her lungs. Mikey also screamed, though none of them understood why. Don stood frozen, unsure of what to do. Leo prepared to fend her off in case she attacked, though Splinter placed his hand on his arm, and shook his head. Raph took a hold of April's arms, hoping to calm her down.</p><p>"April! April! It's me! Raphael! Remember?" Raph spoke even as she tried to break free of his grasp.</p><p>Though a few seconds after he said that, she did begin to settle down. "Raph? What the... What are you?"</p><p>He released her, now feeling embarrassed that she was staring at him like he was a freak. Unfortunately, he actually was one. "...I'm...a..."</p><p>"We're turtles. Mutant turtles. Mutant <i>ninja</i> turtles." Mikey leaned against Raph as he talked to her. "And we're teenagers, too!"</p><p>"That about sums it up, yeah." Raph turned to look away, noting that her expression of bewilderment hadn't changed at all.</p><p>"Child," began Splinter as he approached her. "I welcome you to our home. My sons brought you here in order to tend to your wounds." </p><p>April let out a nervous laugh, one she did not intend. "Your sons? No offense, but I don't see much of a family resemblance."</p><p>"Hm, yes. We are not biologically related. Please, sit down. Leonardo, please, prepare some green tea for our guest."</p><p>Leo nodded. "Yes, Master Splinter." He retreated to the kitchen to do just that. </p><p>Since she was asked to, April decided to be polite, and oblige. She sat down on the couch, and Michelangelo sat next to her. "Uh..."</p><p>"It's me, Mikey! I hope you remember me!" </p><p>"I do, it's just...er..."</p><p>"Perhaps, we should all formally introduce ourselves. My name is Yoshi Hamato. However, my pupils call me Master. Master Splinter, to be more exact." Splinter sat on a recliner situated in front of April.</p><p>"Right, because...you guys are also ninjas?" April tried really hard to make sense of everything that was going on.</p><p>"Yes. I have trained my sons in the art of ninjutsu."</p><p>"That explains how skilled they were in that fight earlier..." </p><p>Splinter duly noted her remark, deciding to interrogate his sons on that later. "I appreciate the praise, I'm sure they do as well."</p><p>April pinched the bridge of her nose. "I have so many questions right now, and I just don't know where to start."</p><p>"How about I tell you a story?"</p><p>"Ooh, is this the story I think you're gonna tell her, Master Splinter!?" Mikey exclaimed, barely able to contain his excitement.</p><p>"Many years ago, I was once a human man..."</p><p>---</p><p>Yoshi Hamato had once been a slender, yet muscular man; not particularly handsome or stood out otherwise. Humble, also somewhat shy. However, he was quite fierce when pushed into a confrontation. In front of him stood his foe, Saki Oroku, one who had greatly wronged him. His stance was defensive for the time being as he watched his adversary like a hawk. Once Saki was ready to strike, he promptly dodged the attack, then countered with one of his own. Saki also managed to evade, and then went for something that appeared to be a weapon. Closing in, Yoshi decided to go in for a blow. This proved to be a fatal mistake, a canister of strange looking ooze was smashed against him. The force of the whack was enough to crack the glass casing open, sending shards and the ooze all over Yoshi's face, shoulders, and most of his upper body. Something about the green goo made him feel...dizzy, and nauseated, enough to send him to his knees. The last thing he remembered seeing was Saki's smirk before he knocked him out with a kick to the face.</p><p>---</p><p>"So, this Saki guy basically wronged you...and ended up beating you in the last fight you had against him?" April summarized what she was told, trying to also make sense of it as well.</p><p>Splinter nodded. "Yes... He... He and I were at odds with each other, and it culminated in that fateful fight."</p><p>Leo entered then, bringing the tea over to April. "He lost more than a fight that night."</p><p>April looked over at Splinter after taking a sip of it. "I'm guessing that gunk that got on you..."</p><p>"Hai. Your guess is correct. I awoke in a ditch, my body having been dumped. Left for dead..." Splinter sighed before continuing on.</p><p>---</p><p>When Yoshi came to, the first thing he noticed was that he had a massive, throbbing headache. It was likely pain inflicted upon him from having that ooze drum hit the side of his head. He put his hand against his forehead, then noticed something was off immediately. Looking at his hands, he noticed they were quite different. Both of them appeared as if they had somehow morphed into...paws. The horrifying realization that his body had somehow changed sent him into a panic. There was a body of water nearby, which he retreated towards. As he ran there, he kept praying that the rest of his body hadn't somehow transformed. Staring into his reflection, his pupils narrowed and seemed to flee from the expanding whites of his eyes. The shape of his entire face looked like a rodent's. What was happening? Yoshi felt the world around spin, and he tried to refrain from vomiting as a result. Thus he collapsed in front of the small shore he was at, lying still, and hoping this nightmare would end.</p><p>---</p><p>"I continued to transform over days until I...became the way I am now," Splinter explained. </p><p>Pained expressions formed on all of the turtles' faces, though Leo seemed to be the one in most anguish over what he had said. "I'm sorry, Master Splinter."</p><p>"No, my son, do not pity me."</p><p>April spoke next. "But that's really horrible, sir. Your whole life had to have changed completely, didn't it?"</p><p>"It did, in many ways. Negatively, and also positively." Splinter placed his hands on his knees, his eyes passing over each of the teens. "You see, after I mutated into a rat, I spent many months living on the streets as a vagrant. I slept during the day, and then went out at night to look for food and other essentials. One night, I was walking back to my home in an abandoned building, when I came upon a suspicious looking van..."</p><p>---</p><p>From around the corner of a decrepit building, Yoshi peered at the white van with its open doors. He was shocked to find four small turtle-like children being ushered out of it by two men in Hazmat suits, both of them holding tasers to prod the kids along. Even from where he was, Yoshi could sense the turtles' fear. They huddled together, holding each other with their eyes shut. The men looked at each other then nodded, both taking out what appeared to be guns. Without thinking it through, Yoshi went in. To the surprise of both men, they found themselves being attacked by a 'giant rat'. Wide eyed, the turtles also witnessed Yoshi as he dispatched the men. It took little effort even with the guns, which Yoshi took, and threw into a nearby dumpster. </p><p>Going over to the four turtles, he knelt down. "You are safe now."</p><p>They all immediately went in to hug Yoshi, relieved and grateful.</p><p>---</p><p>"We became a family that night," Raph interjected.</p><p>Splinter smiled, placing a hand on Raph's arm. "Yes, we did." </p><p>Don directed his sights at April. "We...don't really remember much from back then. They, whoever <i>they</i> were, likely used us as test subjects, and were going to dispose of us after the fact."</p><p>April slumped her shoulders, bowing her head. "That's...awful. I'm so sorry, guys."</p><p>"In time, I named each of my sons after my favorite painters from the Renaissance Era," Splinter said.</p><p>"You already know me, and Raph here." Mikey pointed at his brother then at himself, while Raph rolled his eyes.</p><p>"I'm Donatello," Donatello waved after his brief introduction. "Nice to formally meet you."</p><p>Leonardo looked up at April with a scowl. "I am Leonardo."</p><p>April gulped, a bit intimidated by Leo's intense gaze. "Er, hey. I'm April. O'Ne--" She stopped herself before she made the same mistake as before. "April O'Neil, ha ha."</p><p>"April, I am happy to meet you. You are the first and only guest we've ever welcomed into our home." There seemed to be a twinkle in Splinter's eye, indicating he liked having her there as a potential friend for his sons.</p><p>"Wow, uh, I see..." </p><p>"And I believe it's time for you to go, April." Leo made his way over to her, helping her up to her feet. "It's getting late, and you need to go."</p><p>"What? Already? But I wanted to show her my comics, and my games, maybe share some pizza!" Mikey whined.</p><p>"She can't stay here, Mikey!" </p><p>"Huh? Why not?"</p><p>"We can't trust her!" </p><p>April's forehead furrowed into an agonized frown. His words wounded her, maybe more than her physical ones had. "I...I'll go, okay?" It was for the best, she figured. After all, she already put them out far more than she had intended. </p><p>"Raph," Leo turned to his sibling, with a stern stare. "I want you to escort her home. Make sure she makes it there safe. Understand?"</p><p>Although Raphael hated seeing Leonardo bossing them around, and kicking their one and only guest out of there, he also felt like maybe it wasn't an entirely bad idea. She didn't seem like she was totally comfortable being there anyway. "Sure. Your wish is my command."</p><p>"Blindfold her. We don't want her knowing the way back here." </p><p>"Leonardo!" Splinter warned sharply, standing up. "Do not treat our guest this way!"</p><p>"No, no, it's fine!" April tried to play it cool, hoping to avoid them fighting with each other. "It's not a bad idea, you know? I'll do it."</p><p>Raphael glared at Leo for a moment before looking at April, admiring that she was attempting to play the peacekeeper. "Come on, red. Let's get a move on."</p><p>Leo grimaced, noticing Don and Mikey also giving him looks of disdain. Then he felt Splinter's hand stop him before he departed the scene. "Master, I..."</p><p>"When you are ready, I want you to tell me what is going on." Splinter released him after speaking. </p><p>"Right..." </p><p>---</p><p>All she could see was darkness while wearing the blindfold. Her other senses were working overtime, so she could feel the cold, damp environment of the sewer, and heard the pitter patter of water droplets falling from the pipes. Though when Raph carried her up the small ladder that led to the manhole cover, and popped it open, she felt a cool breeze immediately hit her body along with the sounds of crickets chirping nearby. After setting her down on the pavement, April assumed she would be allowed to remove the cloth from her eyes. </p><p>"Not a bad hike," April said, holding the blindfold out to Raph.</p><p>Raph took it, holding it tight for a second before stuffing it into the pocket of his coat. "Sorry. My brother's a real--"</p><p>"Don't say something you might regret. I know I've put my foot in my mouth pretty often. Including tonight." </p><p>There was an air of sullenness around Raphael, that even April found a little odd, in spite of not knowing him well. "Listen, April... Sorry about tonight."</p><p>"What? You mean this thing?" April pointed to her bruised up face. "Don't worry. It's all a part of investigative journalism."</p><p>"Aw, jeez. Okay, Barbara Walters, you really shouldn't have put yourself in danger like that just to get a scoop."</p><p>April rubbed her arms, sighing. "It wasn't...just that. I...I wanted to find out about my sister, Robyn, and...she was there, with the Foot."</p><p>Raph exhaled. "She was, huh? That sucks. Sorry."</p><p>"Come on, I'll show you the way to my house. You do need to make sure I get home safe, right?"</p><p>"Right," Raph said. "Lead the way."</p><p>The pair began to walk along the streets of New York City. Originally, he had led them to a manhole cover near the area where they had first met. April and Raph were quiet for a while, neither of them sure of what to talk about. They did, however, sneak peeks at one another. Even though they had only known each other for a few hours, they seemed to feel a connection that they couldn't explain. Was this the beginning of a friendship? Both of them had their doubts that such a bond could ever exist between them. After all, they might as well be on different planets with how different their lives were.</p><p>"Hey, uh... By the way, nice karate moves back there." Raph decided to break the ice first, mostly to distract himself from his thoughts.</p><p>April's nostrils flared. "Don't mess with me."</p><p>"No, I mean it. You had a fighting spirit. It's just that those guys knew moves you wouldn't know how to fend off. And they played dirty." </p><p>This reminded April of how her sister fought against Raph. "...You fought my sister, you know."</p><p>He quickly turned his head. "What? That crazy broad was <i>your</i> sister?"</p><p>"Look, I know I have no right to ask this of you, but...I want to see you again."</p><p>Something about the way she said that made him flustered. "Uh, you what?"</p><p>"I need your help, Raphael. I know your brother hates me, and doesn't want me around." April paused to pull her hoodie down, allowing Raph to see her pleading face. "That girl you fought wasn't my sister. Not really. Robyn is...compassionate, nice, the best big sister a girl could ask for. Something went wrong, and I want to find out what's going on with the Foot Clan, and...save my sister."</p><p>He gave her a long, hard look. How could he say no to that? Both the speech, and the puppy dog eyes she was giving him. Firming his jaw, he decided to give her an answer after several moments. "I'll help you."</p><p>Though she felt a tug of relief, she also worried about what this might mean for him. "Are you sure?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>A small, grateful smile formed on April's lips. "Thank you so much. I mean it. I...appreciate what you've done for me tonight. You barely even know me."</p><p>"You grew on me a little, okay? You went from annoying kid to...sorta annoying girl that I feel bad for."</p><p>"Well," she crossed her arms, now smirking. "At least you're honest. I like that."</p><p>The corner of Raph's mouth formed his own smirk now. "Thanks for the compliment, April. O'Neil. April O'Neil."</p><p>"Cut it out, you jerk!" April mock punched his arm.</p><p>A few minutes later, they reached a red brick duplex laden with a small black fence in front of it. Raph looked around, assuming this was April's home. "Not bad. Is this your home?"</p><p>"Yep. Home sweet home."</p><p>"You're gonna be okay here on out?" </p><p>April nodded. "I'll just get in, probably take a shower, and go to bed. My dad and stepmom are probably asleep already. Robyn...is probably not home yet. Her bedroom light's not on, and she's usually up late."</p><p>"Right..." He looked away. "Listen, I'll...meet with you again soon."</p><p>"When?"</p><p>"Soon," he said. </p><p>April ran her hand through her hair. "Okay, I'll trust you on that one, Mr. Ninja."</p><p>"I promise. Gonna go now." Raph turned immediately, and began to briskly pace away from her with his hands stuffed in his pockets.</p><p>"Wait!" she called out to him.</p><p>He couldn't leave, and he wasn't sure why. "What is it?"</p><p>"Take care, Raphael."</p><p>All he could do was give her a thumbs-up in return. As he sauntered off, he wondered why he had done <i>that</i>. Still, he thought, this was pretty big. April O'Neil was now a part of his life. It was beginning to sink in that he did have a friend now, someone outside of his family actually wanted to spend time with him. Though he knew he had a duty he needed to perform, a promise he had to keep. Maybe now he had a real purpose, and a desire to do <i>more</i>. The thought made Raph smile to himself, and he looked up at the full moon above, wondering what was going to happen next.</p><p>---</p><p>Karai and Tatsu both made their way down the long, dark corridor in silence, and without looking at each other. Only the light from the moon outside gave any sort of illumination to the hallway. Their footsteps' creaking was the only sound that could be heard there. Once they reached the large, heavy doors at the end of the room, they pushed it open with their combined strength. Inside, the room laid barren save for a lush carpet that led to a grand throne that their leader was currently seated in. When they reached him, they promptly kneeled down, and bowed their heads. The man wore a suit of armor, similar to that of a samurai along with a metal helmet, and a mask that covered the bottom half of his face. Various blades adorned the gauntlets and shoulder pads of his armor as well.</p><p>"Master Shredder, the initiation was interrupted tonight," Karai explained. "Those four men in trench coats appeared again, knocking out some of the initiates. Luckily, some of us still managed to escape with the jewelry we went to take."</p><p>Tatsu noticed Shredder clench his fist, clearly angered by what she said. "Their fighting style is reminiscent of that of which you have taught us."</p><p>"Maybe not as refined, rougher around the edges," added Karai.</p><p>"Enough!" Shredder stood up from his seat. This caused Tatsu and Karai to keep their eyes to the floor, and remain silent until he spoke again. "For now, focus on running our business. If they get in your way again..." Removing his spear from its holder next to the throne, Shredder proceeded to stab it into the floor, right in between his two subordinates. "<b>Kill them.</b>"</p><p>---</p><p>To Be Continued.</p><p>---</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Conflict</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>---</p><p>Her eyes opened slowly, fluttering as they struggled to adjust to the small bits of sunlight shining in through the sides of the curtains hanging against her windows. Placing her forearm over her face, April tried to make things easier on her sight, if only for a few more minutes. She was also feeling quite frustrated. Had everything that transpired the night before been a bad dream? Maybe meeting a group of ninja turtles and being beat up by thugs in black pajamas was just a nightmare brought on by her eating too much junk food before bed! That train of thought only lasted a few seconds until she began to feel the soreness in her body intensify as she moved in her bed. Groaning, she finally decided to sit up. Being beaten up is not fun, April thought to herself as she gently touched a swollen part of her cheek. Now she was going to have to face the rest of her family, and any questions they had about what happened to her. She just hoped she could concoct a believable story for them to, well, believe.</p><p>"April!" A young girl with bright orange hair tied in two pigtails, wearing a pink t-shirt with a white flower print on it, and purple shorts entered the room. "It's time to wake up!"</p><p>April smiled at her half-sister. "Hey, Joy, good morning."</p><p>"Whoa, what happened to your face?" Joy approached her, concerned.</p><p>"I...uh...well..."</p><p>"Does it hurt? Should I get some ice? Mommy put ice on my foot when it got hurt..."</p><p>Patting Joy on the head, April said, "It's nothing for you to worry about, sis. Look, go tell Barbara I'll be down soon."</p><p>Joy looked a little confused, though she obeyed. "Okay, April..."</p><p>As soon as Joy departed from her bedroom, April tried to lift herself off the bed completely. One foot at a time, she managed to accomplish her mini goal. Next she would have to go downstairs, and face the proverbial music. After she quickly changed into her typical school day outfit, consisting of a black khaki skirt with a white button-down top, along with a long, yellow wool coat with two oversized black buttons on it. Once she finished combing her hair, and topping her look off with a small black barrette in the front, April took a deep breath as she stared at her still battered face. "You've got this. You've got this, April." Maybe if she told this to herself enough times, she would actually believe it.</p><p>April began to descend down the stairs, heading straight to the kitchen. When she entered, she saw Robyn was already at the table, munching on a banana as she listened to some loud and angry music on what appeared to be new bluetooth headphones. A chill coursed through April's body as she realized those were probably stolen. Thinking about it now, she had noticed Robyn with a lot of new stuff recently, too. Before April could talk, Robyn went first. "What happened to <i>you</i>?" Unlike Joy, she didn't seem as worried.</p><p>"I...fell. You know, down some stairs at school. Landed face first on the floor."</p><p>Robyn shrugged, not inclined to question it further. "Okay." </p><p>Taking a seat across from her, April looked at Robyn. "Where did you get those, anyway?"</p><p>"Hm?"</p><p>"Those fancy headphones, Robyn. Where did you get them? They're, uh, pretty cool..." April was hoping to be more subtle about her interrogation.</p><p>Robyn glanced at April before taking another bite of her banana. "Someone gave them to me."</p><p>"A...new boyfriend?"</p><p>"What's it to you?" </p><p>Both sisters stared at each other for a brief time. Robyn was clearly suspicious, April was clearly nervous. However, their staredown was interrupted by their father entering the kitchen. "Good morning, girls!" He went right for the coffee maker, hurriedly taking the mug and utensils from the cupboard, and preparing a 'cup of joe' for himself. "Listen, I just wanted to let you both know that Barbara and I are going to be taking Joy to Barbara's mother's house this afternoon. We might be staying overnight as well." As he spoke, he fumbled with his red tie, and tried to make sure he didn't spill any coffee grinds on his gray business suit.</p><p>Robyn became more agitated by what he said, and she irritably bit down on her banana. "Whatever."</p><p>April sighed, wondering if he was going to notice her bruised up face. Or was he going to completely ignore her? Not that this would be the first time he had done so. "Uh, sure. We'll take care of things here. No problem."</p><p>Barbara walked in then, her red hair in multiple curlers, with a cucumber scented facial cream smeared all over her face, and wearing a pink robe. This was not how she usually presented herself to others, of course. She tended to dress quite nicely, with pretty outfits and expensive looking jewelry. Though her appearance wasn't the only thing that was different while she was out in public. "What happened to your face?" Barbara asked April in a snide tone. "That is just disgusting!"</p><p>April's father turned, finally noticing April's bruises. "Oh my God! What happened, April?"</p><p>"She fell down some stairs, landed face first," interjected Robyn, partly to help her sister out, and also to keep her dad and stepmom out of their hair.</p><p>April breathed in relief, glad Robyn did the explaining. "Yeah, what she said. It's not a big deal."</p><p>"Are you sure you didn't get into a <b>fight</b> or something?" Barbara wrinkled her nose, giving April a judgmental look. </p><p>"Nope! No fight!" April lied through her teeth. </p><p>"Maybe if you weren't so clumsy, and uncouth, we'd bring you two along for our family trips to my mother's," Barbara went over, pouring herself the cup of coffee that her husband had made for himself, then taking a long sip of it. Robyn stood up from the table, then stormed off with a huff. She left the banana peel on the table, intending to have Barbara dispose of it instead. A scowl formed on Barbara as she turned to her spouse. "Sean, you need to do something about Robyn's attitude! She is so entitled, and rude!"</p><p>Sean rubbed the back of his neck. "You know how she is... She's a teenager, so...you know, there's hormones, and--"</p><p>"Unbelievable. You really need to grow a spine when it comes to raising your daughters." Barbara fled the scene in a similar manner to Robyn, but not before sending a small glare at April.</p><p>April slumped down in her chair, unhappy over how dysfunctional her home life was.</p><p>---</p><p>Roosevelt High School was like many other NYC public schools. Overcrowded, with mostly unmotivated students that didn't want to be there. Teachers were a mixed bag, some being incredible, while others were just as unmotivated as the students. From the outside, the building looked nice, with six floors, and red brick lining its wall. Inside, however, was messy at times from litter, and graffiti that often ended up where the janitors would least expect. </p><p>April stood in front of her locker, which had a derogatory word scrawled on it in faded red spray paint. She wished she could be anywhere but in school. However, she knew that if she had ditched school, all she would do is mope around over her sister's seeming descent into villany. Wait, did she really consider Robyn to be a <i>villain</i>? This was her sister... The same sister who helped teach her how to ride a bike, the same sister that hugged her when waking up from the string of nightmares she had after their mother died. How could she view her that way after everything they had been through together?</p><p>"I really hate biology!" April turned her head slightly to look over at her best friend, Irma. Since their freshmen year, Irma had adopted a 'goth look', wearing darker clothing. Typically, it consisted of the sort of outfits edgy kids bought at the local mall. Irma had thick rimmed glasses that she constantly fiddled with as well.</p><p>A small, sheepish grin formed on April's lips. "I know, Irma. Frog dissection again, right?"</p><p>Shuddering, Irma hugged herself. "You know I really, <b>really</b> hate frogs. Creepy." When April turned around the way, Irma's eyes widened at the sight of her friend's messed up face. "What the--! What happened to you?"</p><p>"I...um..." Should she tell Irma the truth? </p><p>"Your...stepmom didn't do that, right?"</p><p>"What, no! She didn't. Look, Irma, it's...really complicated." She hadn't even told Irma that she had planned to stake-out Zayla's or about the situation with Robyn. It wasn't because she didn't trust Irma. In her mind, she figured it would be better to do this solo. Less chances of something going wrong, she told herself. Though, in the end, she hadn't gone in alone. Then she thought about the turtles. Would Irma be able to handle that sort of information? Even April was having trouble accepting everything that happened yesterday.</p><p>Irma frumped. "Complicated, huh? You better not be in any trouble, April O'Neil!"</p><p>"I'm not. Right now. Promise." April wondered if she should cross her fingers when she said that last part.</p><p>"Come on, let's get a move on. It's almost time for homeroom."</p><p>As if waiting for them to cross paths, a young man practically jumped out from around the corner, and landed in front of the pair. Subsequently, he flipped the top part of his brown jacket, and shot a sleazy smile at the girls. "Well, I did it, O'Neil."</p><p>"Did...what exactly, Vernon?" asked April, unamused. </p><p>"I have a lead on that story we've been working on." Vernon ran his head through his already slicked hair. </p><p>"<i>We</i> haven't been working on anything together."</p><p>"Oh, well, I guess I'll be taking all the credit then. Because I spoke to a Japanese restaurant owner who kinda maybe really saw a guy that looked like he might sorta be involved in those string of thefts around the city!"</p><p>April and Irma looked at each other, neither impressed. "Sounds riveting," replied the latter dryly.</p><p>"It may not seem like much, but it's a start! A start to my investigative journalist career!" Vernon declared proudly.</p><p>"Hey, kids," someone called out to the three from across the hallway. </p><p>They turned to find their chemistry teacher quickly approaching them. April waved back. "Good morning, Mr. Stockman!"</p><p>Irma made a face. "Why are you always so nice to him?"</p><p>"I guess I feel bad for him. The other kids are pretty mean to him."</p><p>"Kids are pretty mean, period."</p><p>"Not to me. I'm very popular," interjected Vernon. </p><p>Mr. Stockman arrived, carrying a box full of random items for his class like beakers, flasks, eyewear, droppers. It was quite heavy, so he visibly struggled to keep it balanced in his arm. "It's almost time for class. You should probably go to your homeroom."</p><p>"We will," April said. "What's that stuff you got there?"</p><p>"Glad you asked, April. We're going to conduct all sorts of interesting chemistry related experiments later today. Not to <i>brag</i>, but I created a special concoction. A goop!" He reached into the box, then pulled out a jar, opening it to the best of his ability. Then he showed off what appeared to be blue goop, indeed. </p><p>Vernon cocked an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to...do?"</p><p>"Well...nothing," Mr. Stockman snorted a little. "But it's something I made. So it's cool, to me."</p><p>"I guess you could sell this thing in an infomercial on some old people's TV channel at three in the morning on a Tuesday," offered Irma. </p><p>Before Stockman could give her a sharp response, two ingrate students rode by on skateboards, one of them shooting what appeared to be a stone from a slingshot. Due to that, he stumbled backwards, then tossing the box over his shoulder, and throwing the goop into the air. After the contents of the box spilled out, some of them broken, the goop landed right on his face. </p><p>"Whoa! Mr. Stockman, are you okay?" April asked while Vernon and Irma gawked behind her.</p><p>"...I hate this school..." He pulled on the goop, which clinged to his skin tightly. "Owch!"</p><p>---</p><p>Raphael and Michelangelo hovered behind Donatello as he sat in front of his laptop, quickly tapping away at his keyboard. They were both impatiently waiting for him to finish his internet search for more information on their new friend, April O'Neil. As they waited, Raph tapped his foot while folding his arms irritably while Mikey bit his bottom lip in an attempt to remain quiet and to contain his excitement. This had been a big event for the four brothers, and they were all curious and rather nervous about what this development may bring into their lives. When Donatello finally pulled up the information on April from his comprehensive search, Raph and Mikey jumped ahead of him so they could read through it themselves.</p><p>"So," Raph paused to grunt. "Fifteen like us, huh?"</p><p>"And her birthday's on November twenty ninth! That's not too far from now! Would she want a pizza cake for her birthday? What sort of present should I get her?" Mikey could hardly contain his glee.</p><p>"She goes to Roosevelt High. Looks like you got her address, too, Don." </p><p>Donatello sat back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling now. "Yep, it was fairly easy to find most of her info online. I even found out her social media handles..."</p><p>Raph and Mikey looked at each other, then glared at Don. "WHAT ARE THEY?" They screamed in unison.</p><p>"Hey, that's pretty personal, you know."</p><p>"And all the stuff you pulled up, including her address and phone number, ain't?" Raph grit his teeth. </p><p>Don knew he had a point, and groaned. "Still, maybe we should...ask her ourselves instead of engaging in this stalker behavior."</p><p>"Donnie's right about one thing," Leo said as he entered the scene, gazing out at each of his brothers. "This <b>is</b> stalker behavior, and there's no point to it. We won't be bothering her again."</p><p>The three appeared visibly bothered by what he said. Not only were they upset that they had engaged in stalker behavior, but also the idea that they wouldn't be 'bothering' her again. Raph was the first to attempt to challenge his brother on that. "Oh, yeah?" That was not his best comeback.</p><p>"We need to focus on the Foot Clan."</p><p>"Well, April's got a stake in this, too!" </p><p>"Raph's right!" Mikey exclaimed as he decided to throw his figurative hat into the ring. "We met her because she was also looking for them. She's trying to get the scoop on them for her school's newspaper!"</p><p>Leo rolled his eyes. "Is that so?"</p><p>Raph had to resist the urge to roll his own eyes at the notion, though he did know that she had other motives for wanting to investigate these guys. "Listen, since she's a human. She can be pretty valuable to us..."</p><p>"Raph's right," Don chimed in this time. "She could get into places that we can't."</p><p>"And we're just lonely dudes who want a hot babe around the house," Michelangelo couldn't help being himself.</p><p>"Enough..." Leo put his hand up to stop them from making any further arguments. "It's too risky, guys. Humans can be dangerous. What if she led the cops here one day, and got us captured?"</p><p>"She'd never do that!" cried Raph, clenching his fist. </p><p>"How do you know, Raph?"</p><p>"Because... Because I <b>know</b>!"</p><p>"You can't possibly know. You don't even know her!" Leo kept his eyes on Raph, making note that he was holding something back. Regardless, he decided to add, "We can't afford to trust April, or anyone else right now. For now, we need to focus on our main objective."</p><p>Raphael gave Leonardo a hard stare before looking at his brothers, wondering if they were going to back him up at all. Unfortunately, Leo's words seemed to make Don and Mikey think twice about the notion of bringing April back into their lives. Though he knew right then and there that he wasn't going to back down. Huffing at Leo, he decided to take off, going over to grab his trench coat and hat off the rack. He wanted to scream something back at them, he only didn't because he had no idea what to say exactly. As he made his way down the sewer tunnels, he knew what his next stop was going to be.</p><p>---</p><p>"Well, O'Neil? O'Neil?"</p><p>The voice made April snap out of her momentary funk, and she stared wide eyed at the girl sitting at the desk in front of her. It was after school, and she had been requested to go meet the editor in the school newspaper office. "Sorry! What were you saying?"</p><p>A slight frown formed upon the girl's ruby red lips, and she exhaled as she turned away in her swivel chair. "Have you made any progress on your story yet?"</p><p>April looked down, her eyes settled on the school newspaper editor's name placard, which read 'Mitsuru Hojou' on it. She knew her name well, of course, though she needed to focus on something or her mind would probably wander again. Being asked about the story's progress only directed her mind back to her sister, and to the turtles. Obviously, she wasn't just going to tell her newspaper editor about either of them, so she had to dwell on what to say. "Um...you see..."</p><p>"Your face is quite swollen. Did something happen?" Mitsuru asked, though her voice was even, and she didn't exhibit visible worry. </p><p>"Oh, this?" April pointed to her face. "Nah, it was just an accident. I walked into a door. Very dumb."</p><p>Mitsuru pulled out a brush from her drawer, then brought her long, black hair in front of her shoulder to proceed brushing it as she spoke to April. "I somehow doubt that story, O'Neil. Here I thought you'd be more creative than that."</p><p>This made April feel incredibly flustered. "I...um...er!"</p><p>Vernon then made a grand, and quite conveniently timed, entrance to the small office. "Good afternoon, chief!"</p><p>"I already asked you not to call me that, Fenwick..." Mitsuru said, continuing to focus on her beauty care. </p><p>"I'm sure O'Neil came here to deliver a giant goose egg to you, but <b>I've</b> got quite the scoop!"</p><p>As Vernon began to yammer on about his 'scoop' involving the Japanese restaurant owner he mentioned earlier that day, April gazed off at the window. She could have sworn she saw Raphael at the window, waving at her in a goofy manner. How funny. Wait, what? She did a double take, mouth hanging open as she watched him for several moments, completely ignoring whatever it was Vernon and Mitsuru were discussing in the background. April mouthed, "<i>Are you nuts?!</i>" To that, he nodded with a smirk. </p><p>"You know what," April turned back to the others, trying to keep their attention on her, and not on the window behind them. "I think it's a good idea for Vern to follow up on that lead."</p><p>"I certainly agree," replied Vern.</p><p>"Yep! So, Vern, good luck with that!" April quickly took a hold of his hand to shake it, keeping his visage on her and her alone.</p><p>Mitsuru knew something suspicious was going on, deciding to turn to look at the window. Nothing was there, much to April's relief. "I suppose you can write something about that, Fenwick. We'll iron out the details."</p><p>"You two do that, and I'll...go. Gotta go. Got things to do, people to see." April then ran out the door. </p><p>"She's super weird, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't find her super <b>hot</b>." Vernon nodded, to which Mitsuru grimaced at his embarrassing admission.</p><p>April rushed through the hallways, and down the stairs, ending up outdoors in the vicinity that she thought Raph might be at. As she looked around to try to find him, Raph put his ninja skills to use, deciding to sneak up behind her, and wiggled his fingers in each of her ears. Watching her hair raise, and jump up was quite a sight for his sore eyes. April turned around, her eyes wide, and her lip curled in anger. "You know, that is a good look on you, April."</p><p>"What are you doing here, Raph? Are you nuts? Oh, wait. Apparently, that's a yes!"</p><p>"Just paying you a visit. Is that a crime?"</p><p>"Wait," April put her hand on her hip. "How did you even know where I went to school? The answer to that might indicate whether it <i>is</i> a crime, by the way."</p><p>Raph frowned. "My brother, Donatello, found some info on you online like where you go to school."</p><p>"That sounds like a crime to me." April sighed, running her hand through her hair.</p><p>"Chill out, girly, I just wanted to come and make sure you were okay after last night." Raph crossed his arms, looking at her. "Your face okay?"</p><p>"I'll live," replied April. "Look, thanks for the concern. ...It's not safe for you out here. School's out, and all, but someone could still spot you in the daylight."</p><p>"I guess the green on my face is a bit more obvious in the sunlight," Raph said as he pointed at himself. </p><p>Biting on her thumb, she mulled over the prospect of bringing him over to her house. Surely, it would be safer and more private than standing around talking in the school or in the street. She hoped Robyn wouldn't be home, though she thought about how her sister was likely hanging around with her 'new friends'. Glancing over at Raph, she asked, "Want to come to my house?"</p><p>For the first time, likely in a very long time, Raph felt blood rush right to his cheeks. This was a rarity for a tough turtle like him. He never thought he'd live to see the day that he would be invited to a human's house, particularly a human <i>girl's</i> house. Many thoughts ran through his head, including the prospect of whether or not he would be able to go into said human girl's room. Tilting his head to the side, mouth agape, he tried to remain composed. "Uh, sure. Yeah. I'd, uh, love to go to your house. Hope you got cookies and milk to give me." </p><p>"Cookies and milk isn't...some kind of weird euphemism, right?"</p><p>"What? No!" Raph shook his head, waving his palms rapidly as well. </p><p>April couldn't help but smile. Seeing him so flustered was actually cute. "Let's get a move on then. And yes, I've got cookies and milk, Raph."</p><p>---</p><p>So, this was April's house, Raph mused to himself as he strolled around the living room. Nice, plush couch. Coffee table full of decorative trinkets. Kitten plates displayed on one side of the wall. Toys strewn across the floor, which made Raph wonder if April had another sibling. One thing that caught his eye was a framed photograph of Sean, Barbara, and Joy. That seemed to answer his question on whether April had another sibling around, though he did wonder why April and Robyn were absent from what appeared to be a family photograph. </p><p>"That's my dad...and my stepmom, and half-sister." April decided to explain it to him before he asked. </p><p>Raph looked over at her. "Stepmom, huh?"</p><p>"My mom died a few years ago. Car accident." </p><p>"Aww, gee," He rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry..."</p><p>April motioned toward the staircase nearby. "Let's go up to my room, okay?"</p><p>"R-right. Your room. I guess you're gonna skip the tour of the, uh, kitchen and bathroom and--"</p><p>"Move it or lose it, Raph," April warned with a playful grin.</p><p>Raphael gulped nervously as he followed her up the stairs, keeping his hand on the rail so she wouldn't notice it shaking. He kept telling himself repeatedly to "be cool, be cool, be <b>cool</b>" while he was inside April's bedroom. Once they rounded the corner, he saw the door to her room, which had her name scrawled on it with orange marker on a dry erase board. She went inside, and he reluctantly followed her in. When he looked around, he felt his mouth open again like before. This was a girl's room, huh? It was...nothing like he expected. Bed with a blanket half hanging off the mattress. Scattered items all over her desk, including candy wrappers and crumpled papers. Clothes hung out from the drawers on her dresser, including--</p><p>April noticed the bra that stuck out from the drawer, and she quickly stuffed it back in, then shut it closed after. "As you can see, the room's a little...messy. I wasn't expecting a guest today."</p><p>"Clearly," drawled Raph, trying to hide his embarrassment. </p><p>"Anyway," April sat down on the director's chair near her desk, looking at him with a stern expression. "I want to know, one more time, if you're serious about investigating the Foot Clan and saving my sister."</p><p>"Yes," he answered immediately after. </p><p>"Wow, you're definitely serious, huh?"</p><p>Raph sat down on her bed, hoping it didn't break from his weight or something. "Yeah. I'm a guy of my word, sis. I said I'd help, so...what are we gonna do?"</p><p>"Well...I was wondering, is there any hope at all of your brothers helping out, too?" April asked as she crossed her legs.</p><p>He pondered that for a moment. Mikey and Don seemed more willing to help her than Leo, obviously, though they also seemed more likely to follow Leo's lead. Maybe they both had their own reservations about working with a human, and he briefly remembered a sour encounter Don had with a human years ago. The answer wasn't as simple as he had hoped. "I...dunno."</p><p>His reply didn't bode well with her. "I guess they're probably scared I'll snitch on you guys or something. I mean, trust me, I haven't told a soul about you, or anything that happened last night. My lips are sealed."</p><p>"I know," he said with a smile. His face suddenly took on a morose expression. "Look, I...kind of get why Leo's being over protective, but I think he's got you pegged all wrong. He should give you a chance, and help you."</p><p>April had a similar look to him then. "Thanks. I understand, and I'm glad you decided to give me that chance."</p><p>"Bah! Enough with the mushy, feel good nonsense." </p><p>She let out a small chuckle at that. "Okay, okay. What should our next move be?"</p><p>Raph scratched the top of his cranium. "Er, I guess we could...take a look around somewhere?"</p><p>This brought April to an important realization. "Wait a second," she said as she stood up. "Robyn isn't home right now, which means her room's free to snoop around at."</p><p>"You sure you wanna do that?"</p><p>"I used to do it all the time when I was a kid, then she'd karate chop my head afterward." April then walked out the door, heading to Robyn's room.</p><p>Raph sighed. Another girl's room, huh? Two in one day. He decided to push through his uneasiness by commenting on what April had said. "If my brothers did that to me, I'd do more than just karate chop them on their heads."</p><p>"Note to self, snoop around Raph's room sometime." April's lip curled into a smirk as she looked back at Raph.</p><p>"You wanna test me? Bring it, carrot top." </p><p>April reached Robyn's door, wrapping her hand around the knob. "Okay, enough fun and games... Let's get down to business here."</p><p>Letting themselves into the room, Robyn's room seemed to be the opposite of April's. Mostly neat and tidy. Laundry folded on the bed. Nothing hanging out of any drawers. Though both April and Raph noted that the room was mostly unused. There was a thin sheet of dust on top of most of the hard surfaces in the bedroom. April wandered over to the bedside table, noticing an unopened bag of chips and a sports drink, both expired for over two months. She then began to open drawers, trying to find anything incriminating. Although Raph had no clue what he was looking for, he did mimic her, and opened various drawers. </p><p>It didn't take long for April to find an expensive looking gold watch, a laptop that was clearly not the one Robyn used, a pearl necklace, a diamond ring, designer sneakers, and more things that her older sister could not afford. Raph observed as April compiled all the items into a large pile in the middle of the room, then she kneeled down in front of it, appearing distraught. "I...can't believe this..."</p><p>"Yeah..." He wasn't sure what else to say.</p><p>"You know, growing up, my sister was my hero. She was the kind of sister you could count on for...anything. I'd fall off my bike, and she'd be right there to pick me up, take me into the house, treat my 'boo boo', and bandage me up. Then she'd give me my favorite chocolate fudge popsicle, and pat me on the head before making me get back on my bike."</p><p>Raphael went over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Sounds like Leo. He was like that, too. Except he'd spend an hour lecturing me on why I fell off the bike, and how I could prevent that from happening again."</p><p>"Heh..."</p><p>"I know this is tough."</p><p>April brushed her hair away from her face, then rubbed her eyes as the tears welled up. "This isn't Robyn. I don't know what they did to her, but the Foot Clan had to have messed with her head somehow."</p><p>They both became startled when they heard the sound of the front door slam. Robyn had arrived home, and ran up the stairs, heading straight to her room. To her dismay, she found April about to come out of her room. This set Robyn off. "WHY ARE YOU IN MY ROOM, APRIL?!"</p><p>Anxiously, April looked behind her, wondering if Raph was still there. To her surprise, he was gone. Blinking a few times, she tried to regain her composure. Focusing solely on her sister, she said, "I'm worried about you!"</p><p>"Worried about me?"</p><p>Taking a deep breath, April motioned over at the pile of stolen goods. "I..."</p><p>Robyn didn't allow her to finish her sentence. "How dare you! How dare you go into my room, and go through my stuff!? That's the kind of thing I'd expect from our <b>beloved</b> stepmom!"</p><p>"Barbara doesn't give enough of a damn about us to actually go through our stuff."</p><p>"You know what, April? You got me, super star! You went looking through my stuff, and you found my stash."</p><p>"Why? Why did you do this? Why are you stealing?"</p><p>Rolling her eyes, Robyn went past April, and was now on the other side of the bedroom door. "I hate being here."</p><p>"Wait, what?"</p><p>"I hate living here, and having to be around you, and our idiot dad, and our <b>wicked</b> stepmother, and that brat kid--"</p><p>"Hey! Don't call Joy a brat!" </p><p>Robyn scoffed. "If you were smart, April, you'd get out of this house. Just like I am."</p><p>April's eyes widened. "What do you mean by that?"</p><p>Instead of responding, Robyn shoved April hard, then slammed the door in her face. Although April wanted to pound her fists at the door and scream until Robyn answered, she figured it would be a waste of time and energy. Then she remembered Raph had been in the room, panic beginning to set in. However, it only lasted a few moments before she felt Raph's hand on her shoulder like before. He signaled to her to remain quiet as he spun her around, then led her away. April silently agreed, deciding it would be best for them to leave. While they departed, she took one last look at Robyn's door.</p><p>---</p><p>It was a familiar location to Raph and April. They currently stood in the same spot they had first met. The sky was beginning to turn a dark blue hue, the sunlight already nearly gone. Neither of them had said a word since they ransacked Robyn's room. Raph struggled to figure out what to say to her, how to console her. He sucked at what he called 'emotional crap', wishing Mikey was there so he could let him work his magic as he was actually good at 'emotional crap'. Glancing over at April, he noted how she kept hugging herself. Was it that she was that upset, or was she cold? Should he offer her his coat, even if that meant exposing himself? A loud sigh was emitted from him, which got April's attention. Now he was on the spot. "Uh... What a day, huh?"</p><p>"Not too different from last night."</p><p>Raph frowned. "I'm gonna be honest here. I have no idea what to tell you. Things really suck right now."</p><p>"That's an understatement, I'd say," she remarked as she rubbed circles in her temple. "I can't believe this is my life right now."</p><p>"Life's...pretty weird at the moment, yeah."</p><p>"You know, Robyn and I used to be really close. Like peas in a pod. We used to be a happy family, even after mom died, we had each other and dad... Then my dad re-married..." April paused briefly, mustering up the will to continue. "Things changed for the worst. Barbara, my stepmom, made it well known that she did not like us. Dad tries to keep us all happy, but he basically fails every time. Robyn and I feel like he cares more about his new family, and not us."</p><p>"That's rough."</p><p>"I think this might be why Robyn's been so rebellious lately. It's no excuse, but...I believe this is why she's involved with the Foot Clan."</p><p>Leaning against the wall behind him, Raphael looked up at the darkening sky. "My brothers and I are in a bad place right now."</p><p>"What?" His admission startled her.</p><p>"We're not really on the same wavelength lately. Leo wants to bust the Foot, Don's been working on his little pet project, Mikey's off in his own world... I guess I feel lost. Maybe we all feel that way. Maybe."</p><p>April went over, now standing right next to him, her eyes also on the sky. "That's rough."</p><p>The turtle crossed his arms. "We're in the same boat then."</p><p>"Okay, who's captain?"</p><p>He couldn't help but snicker. "I call dibs." Though his face then became more serious. "Listen, I'm gonna help you as best as I can. I already said I would, so...I'm gonna see this through to the end."</p><p>An appreciative smile formed upon her lips. "Thanks, Raphael."</p><p>"Are we interrupting anything?" The words prompted them both to jump away from the wall, and look in the direction it came from. A few feet away stood the rest of the ninja turtles, with Leo at the forefront, a clear look of disapproval on his face. </p><p>"Hiiii, April!" Mikey cried out, waving at her, to which the rest of them groaned. He did ruin the rather tense moment.</p><p>---</p><p>Leonardo glared silently at his brother, and at the human girl. Though most of his anger was directed at Raphael. He viewed him retreating back to April as an act of rebellion, the typical defiance Raph tended to go to when he wanted to get under Leo's skin. This behavior went back as far as their childhoods. When Leo said "left", Raph would say "right". When Leo wanted cheese pizza, Raph demanded meat lover's. When Leo put his new blue bandana on, Raph stubbornly clung to his old, worn red bandana that he still wore now. Remembering those incidents just set Leo off even more, and he finally spoke. "What do you think you're doing?"</p><p>"Standing here, waiting for you to say something."</p><p>"Here we go. You always have to resort to being a smart aleck instead of actually communicating!"</p><p>"Hey, you asked a question. Not my fault that you didn't like the answer."</p><p>Curling his hand into a fist, Leo tried to keep calm. He was failing at it. "You deliberately went to look for her after I told you it was too risky! Do you enjoy putting our family in jeopardy, Raph?"</p><p>Raph huffed at that. "Shut up."</p><p>"Then why did you come out here to hang around with <b>her</b>?"</p><p>Mikey looked over at April, noticing her bow her head at that. "Hey," he cut into the argument. "That's pretty mean, Leo. You're hurting her feelings, man."</p><p>Leo realized Mikey was right, April did look hurt. This did tug at his chest. He didn't like seeing others upset. However, he didn't believe he was wrong about what he was saying. Turning to her, he said, "I'm sorry that you've been dragged into our conflict. But we must break our association with each other at once."</p><p>Raph took a step forward, fuming. "You've got a lotta nerve speaking on my behalf! Hell, on <b>our</b> behalf!" </p><p>Looking determined, Mikey went next to Raph, patting his arm. "Yeah! You've got a lotta nerve, Leo! Some of us like having hot human girls coming around our lair!" His statement made Raph look down, sighing heavily.</p><p>Don decided to speak his piece next. "I'm not sure what to make of April, though I think we should try giving an alliance with her a chance. There's many benefits to having a contact in the human world."</p><p>"You, too, Donnie?" Leo bemoaned that even the always practical Donatello was calling for getting close to this girl. "I...don't think it'd be in our best interest."</p><p>April had her hand on her arm, a sullen look on her face. "I'm sorry, I just want--"</p><p>"You don't have to explain yourself to him, April!" shouted Raph, now standing in front of her, as if to protect her. "Listen up, Leo! I'm challenging you to a <b>fight</b>!"</p><p>"A fight?" inquired April, confused.</p><p>"A fight!" exclaimed Mikey, excited.</p><p>"A fight... Of course." Don appeared unsurprised, though he still ran his hand down his face in frustration. </p><p>Leo remained quiet for a few seconds, then nodded. "Fine."</p><p>"If I win, we're allowed to help April if any of us choose to," declared Raph, now gripping both of his sai.</p><p>Again, there was some silence as Leo mulled it over. "Okay, Raph. We'll fight on that rooftop over there." He pointed over to a nearby building that seemed to have enough space on the top. </p><p>"Great. Can't wait to kick your ass."</p><p>Michelangelo, Donatello, and also April, noted that Leonardo didn't set down any terms of his own if he happened to win the match. Regardless, the entire group began to head over toward the designated 'ring'.</p><p>---</p><p>The rooftop was mostly barren, save for a random clothes line, and a few cleaning supplies stored near the entryway leading into the building. It was the perfect location for a brawl to ensue. Leo prepared by doing some stretches while Raph just stood around, impatiently waiting for the time to rumble. April cautiously approached Raph, against her better judgment. She needed to know that he was sure he wanted to do this. Before she could even open her mouth, he answered.</p><p>"I'm doing this, and you're not talking me out of it, doll."</p><p>April frumped at his rude response. "Are you sure, though? You are about to fight your own <b>brother</b> after all!"</p><p>"Oh, they've done this before," Mikey said, having been eavesdropping the entire time. "Raph and Leo fight all the time."</p><p>"Wait, really?"</p><p>"Yep! Pizza eating contests, food fights, even who can make the loudest armpit noises! It's been this way since we were kids." </p><p>Raph covered Mikey's mouth to prevent him from saying more. "Shut it, Mikey!"</p><p>"Those aren't fights, those sound like competitions..." April pointed out. "This is an actual fight-fight."</p><p>"...Leo and I have had those, too. Just not as much." Raph sighed, letting go of his little brother. "This is something I gotta do. I need to show him he can't boss me or my brothers around."</p><p>Closing her eyes, April let out a heavy sigh. "Be careful, and don't do something you'll regret."</p><p>"I ain't regretting this."</p><p>Don looked toward Leo as he passed by. "Is this really the best idea?"</p><p>Leo stopped briefly, then addressed Don directly. "It has to be done."</p><p>April, Michelangelo, and Donatello positioned themselves off to the side to spectate, while Leonardo and Raphael stood across from each other, several feet away. Raph already had his weapons at the ready, while Leo took the time to unsheath both of his. As this transpired, April watched with awe, noting that they both looked quite powerful at the moment. What was going to happen? Without a word, both of them suddenly rushed in at the same time. Raph immediately went in for a slash aimed at Leo's arm, which he saw coming, and promptly dodged. Skidding to a halt, Raph took a second to better grapple his sai before going back in for another attack. Of course, Leo was ready to defend against his brother's blows. Pure ire went into each of Raph's attacks, and he wasn't thinking too clearly to come up with a better strategy to win. All he wanted was to win, and rub Leo's face in a loss.</p><p>"Raph's fighting kind of different than he did the other night..." April pointed out.</p><p>Don frowned. "His anger tends to take over when he fights Leo. Not sure if he's thinking too clearly when they fight. He seems to rely mostly on brute strength during these spats."</p><p>"Leo takes advantage of it, too," said Mikey, in an uncharacteristically serious tone. "Did I mention Raph tends to lose around, hm, two in three of his fights against Leo?"</p><p>"No, you didn't," she replied as she pressed her palm against her cheek, feeling even more worried about what might happen.</p><p>"What's the matter, Leo? Why're you holding back?" Raph asked him in a mocking manner as he kept creeping up on his opponent.</p><p>Leo continued to deflect Raph's sais with his blades. "I'm holding back, and you've yet to land a single hit on me. What does that say about you? I thought this was something you wanted."</p><p>His words set Raph off. Hollering, Raph lunged forward, managing to slip his sai onto one of Leo's katanas, and twisted his wrist hard in an attempt to break the blade. Leo grit his teeth, and went in to kick Raph in the gut as a means to stop him. When Raph fell back, he also dropped his sai, which Leo knocked farther away with his foot. Raph knew he'd have to make do with just one sai, unless he got the opportunity to retrieve the other. Leo began to walk around him in a circle, his sights still set on him. </p><p>"I'm not gonna lose!" Raph cried out, trying to follow Leo's movements.</p><p>"Neither am I," Leo declared, now going in for an attack of his own.</p><p>The katanas and the sai clanged as they hit each other at the same time. After several maneuvers, Raph attempted to take hold of the katana once again. Leo was having none of that. Twisting his body around, he managed to quickly get behind Raph then held the steel of one of his weapons near his neck. </p><p>This set April off, as she freaked out at Raph's life possibly being in danger. "Okay! Enough! You win, Leonardo! Leave him alone!"</p><p>Raph scowled at her. "He's not gonna hurt me..."</p><p>Leo set his katanas back into their respective sheaths before looking back at April. "I'm sorry if I scared you. However, this is the way we fight sometimes."</p><p>"You should see them when they fight over the TV remote," Mikey joked.</p><p>April pinched the bridge of her nose. "Look, I don't want to come between you guys. So, I'm just...going to bow out."</p><p>Raphael wanted to yell at her not to say that, but he realized that he lost the fight, and therefore had to give up on this thing he had going with the girl. Donatello and Michelangelo also appeared disappointed with the outcome of the fight, and April's imminent departure. What happened next actually shocked the three turtles. Leo stepped forward, staring April down in a way that intimidated her. Moments later, he relaxed, and said, "There's no need for you to do that. We'll work with you."</p><p>"Huh?" asked Raph, eyebrow raised.</p><p>"Whatchu talkin' about, Leo?" Mikey quipped, squinty eyed.</p><p>"Yeah, I'm...confused," April said next.</p><p>Leo crossed his arms. "I've changed my mind."</p><p>"Why?" Raph asked in a demanding tone. "I lost!"</p><p>"I never made any terms to this wager of yours, Raph. Look, I wasn't trying to be the bad guy here. I only want to keep you guys safe, but I can't control who you associate with...even if I disapprove of them."</p><p>Raph had no real answer to that, merely responding to him with a grunt. Don, on the other hand, decided to speak on his behalf. "I'm glad you've come to that realization. I'm sure my reasoning that having a human assist us in combating the Foot probably helped sway you, didn't it?"</p><p>"Maybe somewhat, Donnie," replied Leo, brow furrowed. </p><p>April bit her bottom lip, then looked at Leo. "Thank you so much. This means a lot to me."</p><p>Leonardo turned away from her then, refusing to answer her. Before things could get awkward, Michelangelo grabbed April, and gave her a bear hug. "YAY! Oh, man! It's gonna be great having you around! I'm totally gonna break out all the cheesy kung-fu movies we've got stashed in the lair, and we're gonna watch 'em all, and we're having a pizza party!"</p><p>"Hey, put her down!" Raph shouted at his younger brother. </p><p>Instead, Mikey took a hold of Raph, forcing him into the hug as well. "Bring it in, Raph! You know you wanna!"</p><p>"NO! LET ME GO, MIKEY!" </p><p>"You're both crushing me here!" April cried.</p><p>Don nodded in approval. "I wish I'd brought my phone so I could record this."</p><p>---</p><p>"So, you got all that, April?" asked Donatello as he handed her a communicator, one that looked to be like a smartphone that he customized to look like a turtle shell.</p><p>Scrutinizing the device a little, April then looked back at Don. "I...think so. I can use this thing to contact you guys at any time, at any place." </p><p>"Right. As I explained, there's a button that represents each of us, and also one to contact all of us at once. I color coded the buttons for ease. Purple is mine, for example." </p><p>"Yeah, that'll make it <b>a lot</b> easier."</p><p>Don seemed hesitant to tell her this next part, but he did so anyway. "I...also whipped this up." He lifted what looked to be an extremely small microchip. "It's a tracking device."</p><p>April took a hold of it. "A tracking device, huh?"</p><p>"You can slip it onto your sister's smartphone, and I can track her every move. It might lead us to some valuable intel on the Foot Clan. After what you told us about her, and her involvement, it seems you want to try to do everything you can to help her, so...I figured this was a good idea."</p><p>"It is," April was quick to say. "It's a good idea. Thank you, Donatello." April's communicator began to ring, and she picked it up.</p><p>Mikey appeared from around the corner, using his to call her. "Hey, doll, you liking your new communicator?"</p><p>"Heh, yeah. I sure am."</p><p>"Cool, cool. Get ready, I'm gonna call you all the time, and spam your inbox with memes, and selfies! See, this thing has a camera installed, too!"</p><p>"Mikey!" Don exclaimed. "It's not a toy! We're supposed to use it for serious business!"</p><p>"But taking pics is serious business, Donnie," Mikey said before turning to April. "It's like this guy's never been on the internet before!"</p><p>Donatello facepalmed, which prompted Michelangelo and April to laugh. Raphael joined in, giving Don a noogie that he clearly hated. From a few feet away, Leonardo observed them. It was going to be strange to have a human hanging around their domain. Nevertheless, it was nice to see his brothers so...happy. They were so listless and lost before April came along, and now the entire atmosphere of the lair felt different. A hint of a smile formed on Leo's mouth as he stood by, though it faded fast when April caught a glimpse of it.</p><p>"Hey, uh, Leo...uh, Leonardo?" April went towards him timidly.</p><p>Leo made a face. "What is it?"</p><p>"I was thinking... Would it be okay if I learned a couple of ninja moves? I'd really like to be able to defend myself the way you guys can."</p><p>"It wouldn't be a couple of moves," Leo explained sternly. "If you train, you <b>will</b> become a ninja."</p><p>After blinking a few times, all she could say in return was, "Whoa..."</p><p>"I'll ask Master Splinter about it."</p><p>As if on cue, Splinter revealed he had been listening in. "We will definitely have a conversation on the matter."</p><p>Leo bowed. "Yes, sensei."</p><p>Splinter turned to April, handing her a small bag. "Take this. It's a special paste that you can put on your bruises to assist in healing them more quickly."</p><p>"Oh, thank you, sir." April looked over at each of them. "I should get going."</p><p>"Goodnight, April," Don said with a wave.</p><p>Mikey went next. "Call me!"</p><p>Splinter nodded. "Take care of yourself, child."</p><p>"I'll try," replied April. </p><p>Leo only gave her a curt nod before departing next to Splinter. This left April alone with Raph, both of them wondering what to say or do next. April placed her hands behind her back, one of them still holding the communicator and the baggie from Splinter. When she peeked over at Raph, she smiled. "My life's super weird now."</p><p>"<i>My</i> lifes super weird now. I've got this new sidekick that's cramping my style."</p><p>"What? You're <i>my</i> sidekick, dude."</p><p>He chuckled at her remark. "In your dreams."</p><p>April put on a more sincere expression. "Raph, thanks."</p><p>Grinning, he tussled her hair. "Quit thanking me so much! I just do the things that I want, and I wanted to lend you a hand. No more, no less."</p><p>"Right, okay," April said as she tried to fix her now messed up hair. "It's just...I don't know if I could do any of this alone."</p><p>"You're not alone anymore, you've got me. You've got...us."</p><p>April felt rather emotional hearing that, though she tried to remain composed. After all, she didn't want to cry, and give Raph ammunition to tease her with. "I'm gonna... You know, it's getting late."</p><p>"Right. Don't get lost on your way home." Raph smirked. </p><p>Although she wanted to say something in return, April merely waved at him before turning to leave. She felt her heart race as she walked away. Something about that exchange really made her feel flustered. It was nice, and she was feeling more at ease about her association with the ninja turtles. </p><p>---</p><p>In the small kitchen inside the lair, Splinter poured some hot green tea out of the kettle, and into Leonardo's tea cup. Afterward, he poured some tea for himself before sitting down across from his son at the table. They both silently sipped their beverages for a brief while. Splinter's eyes were on Leo, trying to get a read on his son. In recent times, Leo had been quite stoic, and focused on something that Splinter <i>knew</i> could get him and his brothers hurt. However, he also knew that if he pushed too hard, he could push Leo and his other sons away. Splinter closed his eyes then, unsure of what to say to him now. One of the reasons he trained these boys in ninjutsu was so they could have independence, and use their skills for whatever they deemed fit. It was the way he was taught, even though he hadn't used his own skills the way his own master had intended for him to.</p><p>"Sensei?" Leo asked gently. "Are you okay?"</p><p>"Yes, Leonardo. I am fine. Is there anything you would like to share with me?"</p><p>This gave Leo pause, and he stared into his cup. "Well..."</p><p>Just then all of the turtles' communicators began to ring simultaneously. This surprised Leo, and he quickly picked up, knowing April had to be calling them. "Hello? April?" Splinter got out of his chair, going over to Leo to see if he could hear what was going on.</p><p>On the other line, April spoke, "Guys...um..."</p><p>Raph went ahead, and began to question her. "What's going on? What happened?"</p><p>"April?" Mikey asked next. </p><p>"I...I can't put the tracker on Robyn's phone..." April said, her voice shaky.</p><p>---</p><p>April stood alone in Robyn's room, many of her sister's possessions now gone. Robyn had run away from home.</p><p>---</p><p>To Be Continued.</p><p>---</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Lessons</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>---</p>
<p>Under the cover of darkness, a slender figure lurked around the side of the office building. The mysterious ninja was completely clad in black, except for the gray mesh fencer mask on their face. There was also a brown utility belt around their waist with various compartments that held gadgets to be used in battle, along with a few weapons on some holsters. Peering around the corner, the ninja watched as Foot Clan nin moved quickly, trying to carry goods from the back of a supply truck, and into their van. On the floor, the driver of the vehicle was passed out from a knock to the head. A few moments passed before the lone ninja found an opening to attack. Swiftly, they went from one member of the Foot Clan to the next. Within seconds, each opponent fell through rapid, precise attacks. Once the enemies were dispatched, the ninja used a wire from one of the compartments on the utility belt to tie the thieves up. A calling card was left on one of the Foot ninja, the design on it was the word 'Arsenal'.</p>
<p>In the distance, Tatsu had been observing the situation as it unfolded. He refused to step in and assist those under him. Although his orders from Shredder were to kill any who interfered with their operation, there was something familiar about the way that assailant moved, and he decided to bide his time before moving in. Besides, the best way to defeat an enemy is to understand them.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>It was so soothing, Leonardo thought to himself as he sipped the green tea. He glanced over at Master Splinter, wondering if he felt the same way he did. The tea was particularly delectable that day, and he wondered if it was a sign of positive things to come. After finishing the cup, Leo let out a small sigh of relief.</p>
<p>"You seem well today, Leonardo," said Splinter before he sampled some more tea.</p>
<p>Leo smiled softly. "I suppose I am. I think...maybe things are going to go our way. Maybe April coming into our lives will be a good thing. I hope."</p>
<p>Splinter gave a nod. "You had serious reservations about it previously."</p>
<p>"Yes, I did. ...And I still do." Leonardo paused, looking rather uncertain. "However, the others seem more lively since she's arrived, which can only be good."</p>
<p>"I see," Splinter took another drink before speaking again. It seemed he was contemplating what Leo had just said.</p>
<p>"April wants to learn ninjutsu, actually."</p>
<p>"Is that so?"</p>
<p>"Do you approve of this, sensei?"</p>
<p>After a pregnant pause, Splinter replied, "Yes. I very much do."</p>
<p>Leo was relieved by this. "That's great. I'm sure the guys will appreciate that."</p>
<p>Splinter put his cup down, having finished the tea. "Your brothers would appreciate it? Not you?"</p>
<p>"Oh, well..." Leo's voice trailed off for a moment, as he tried to think of something to say. "I...do. It would be nice to have a new sparring partner. Don't worry, I will go easy on her. And I'll tell the others to go easy on her as well!"</p>
<p>"I had another idea, Leonardo," Splinter began.</p>
<p>"What is it?"</p>
<p>"I would like for you to teach April instead."</p>
<p>Leo's eyes widened, and he stood up in a panic. "Wh-what?!"</p>
<p>"I would like for you to teach April instead," repeated Splinter, more firmly this time.</p>
<p>"Me? Why?" Leonardo wondered why Splinter would decline teaching the new girl, it truly baffled him.</p>
<p>Then Splinter got up as well, moving closer to his pupil. "I have faith that you will be an excellent teacher for her. This will also double as a learning experience for <i>you</i>."</p>
<p>"A...learning experience?" This only made Leo feel more dumbfounded and confused.</p>
<p>A smile formed on Splinter's face as he gave Leo's arm a pat. "You should brush up on the basics so you can pass those on to your new student."</p>
<p>"Uh...I...er..." Leo swallowed hard, turning to watch Splinter as he walked away. "...Right, I'll...get on...that."</p>
<p>There Leo stood, staring into nothingness. He was now officially a sensei.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Robyn's departure had led to some chaos in the O'Neil household. As April sat at the dining room table, she listened while her father and stepmother spoke to the police officer near the entryway to their home. Joy was lying on the floor, near April, filling in her coloring book with some new crayons she had been gifted recently. Both girls looked over when they heard Barbara sobbing loudly.</p>
<p>"ROBYN IS MY PRECIOUS STEPDAUGHTER!" Barbara wailed as she clung to the officer's uniform. "PLEASE, PLEASE, FIND HER!"</p>
<p>Sean pulled his wife away, shooting an apologetic smile at the cop. "I'm sorry. She's just...overcome with emotion. Robyn's never run away like this before."</p>
<p>"After I interrogate her friends, I'll contact you with any new leads. So do expect a phone call in the next twenty four to forty eight hours, Mr. O'Neil." Then the officer nodded before turning and heading back to his patrol car.</p>
<p>With the police out of sight and mind, Barbara suddenly became poker faced as she turned away from the entryway. "That daughter of yours is nothing but <b>trouble</b>, Sean!"</p>
<p>Sean closed the door, then looking toward Barbara with a frown. "Please, don't start with that..."</p>
<p>"You should have sent that brat off to military school when I told you to! I do not want her or that other daughter of yours to influence our Joy!"</p>
<p>"Robyn's just...going through some growing pains..."</p>
<p>"No! Do not excuse her behavior, Sean! I am sick of this! Absolutely sick of this!"</p>
<p>While the couple continued to argue over the Robyn situation, Joy got off the floor, and approached her half-sister. "April?"</p>
<p>"Hey, Joy. You okay?"</p>
<p>Joy answered with a question. "Why did Robyn run away from home?"</p>
<p>April looked down for a moment, unsure of what to say in return. "Well..." She sighed, deciding to respond honestly. "I...think she wasn't happy here."</p>
<p>This was not what Joy had expected to hear. A sad expression formed on her face as she climbed onto April, settling onto her lap. "I miss Robyn..."</p>
<p>"Me too, Joy. Me too." April held her younger sibling close, stroking her hair. "I promise, I'll bring Robyn back home..."</p>
<p>Joy stared up at her. "Really? You promise?"</p>
<p>"Yeah. And I promise to get stronger, so I can get her home safe."</p>
<p>"What do you mean? Are you gonna get muscles and stuff?"</p>
<p>April chuckled. "Maybe. I'm gonna be a ninja. I hope."</p>
<p>"I wanna be a ballerina. Or a veterinarian. I know you can be a ninja if you try hard, April!"</p>
<p>"Let's both try our best, okay?"</p>
<p>The two sisters hooked their pinkies together.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Leonardo paced back and forth, sweat coating the top of his head. He muttered things to himself, mostly making plans on what he was going to teach his new student. While he did that, the other turtles stood nearby, observing him. Well, Raphael was mostly lifting his fifty pound dumbbell while watching Leo freak out with a bemused smirk. Donatello and Michelangelo glanced at each other then back at Leo while he continued his strange behavior. After a few minutes of this, Leo finally stopped, his attention now on his brothers.</p>
<p>"Master Splinter wants me to teach April!" cried Leo, getting straight to the point.</p>
<p>"Duuuude." Mikey then grinned. "You're so lucky."</p>
<p>"No, Mikey! I'm <b>not</b> lucky! Teaching someone is a huge undertaking. Especially teaching someone the art of ninjutsu..."</p>
<p>"What's the matter, Leo?" Raph set his dumbbell down, then directed his sights toward his older brother. "You prefer being a teacher's pet instead?"</p>
<p>Rather than let the comment get to him, Leo just shrugged it off. "I'm not sure if I'm ready to be a teacher, that's all."</p>
<p>"Or are you not ready to be <i>April's</i> teacher?"</p>
<p>That statement did get to him, though Leo decided to deflect the question. "I...will do it. It's what Master Splinter wants, so I'll just roll with the punches."</p>
<p>At that moment, April entered the lair, having managed to find it after getting lost for a bit. Getting through the sewer system was going to take some getting used to, she thought to herself. When she caught the turtles' attention, they all looked right at her. "Hey, guys."</p>
<p>"April!" Mikey waved with a huge grin.</p>
<p>"Yo," greeted Raph flatly, though he was secretly glad she came around.</p>
<p>"How's it going, April?" Don went next.</p>
<p>April wandered over, also trying to get used to this strange friendship she had with these mutant turtles. "It's...going. Listen, I'd really like to begin those ninja lessons. Now."</p>
<p>It was Leo's turn to address April. "Calm down, April. You can't just learn ninjutsu in one day. That's not the way it works."</p>
<p>"I...I know!" April bit her bottom lip for a second. "I just want to get a head start on that. My sister's in trouble, and this is one of the ways I can try to help her out!"</p>
<p>"Still, you need to keep your expectations in check."</p>
<p>"Sure," began April as she peered around. "Where's Master Splinter? Maybe I should talk to him about my lessons."</p>
<p>Leo took a deep breath then placed his hand on her shoulder. "April, Master Splinter requested that I be the one to teach you."</p>
<p>Her eyes widened as she stared up at him. "You're...gonna be my teacher?"</p>
<p>"That is correct," said Splinter as he appeared from around the corner. "Leonardo will teach you in my stead."</p>
<p>April looked over at Splinter then back at Leo. "...I...see."</p>
<p>"I believe both of you will learn many things from this experience." Splinter smiled, leaning on his cane.</p>
<p>Leonardo hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should voice his worries over being April's teacher. However, he found that he couldn't deny his own teacher. Thus he was going to try his best to do what Splinter asked of him. Bowing, he responded. "Hai."</p>
<p>What was April going to do? She remembered how cold Leo had been toward her before, how he seemed to hate her. Having him for her teacher could lead to potential trouble. But if the alternative was that she could not learn ninjutsu, what choice did she really have? Failure was not an option, especially since both Robyn and Joy were counting on her to do this. Putting on a determined expression, April also bowed to Splinter. "Hai!"</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>There was a room specifically designated for training in the lair. In it, there were various weapons lined up on the wall, some of which were new, and others which were worn out. Some Japanese antiques were on display on a table off to the side. A large tatami lined the flooring, of which Leo and April were currently sitting on, across from one and other. She smiled awkwardly at him while he remained stern, thus she felt herself deflate over that. From the doorway, the other three turtles spied on the pair, curious as to how this first lesson of theirs would go.</p>
<p>"Leo better not scare her away!" Mikey whispered to Raph.</p>
<p>Raph groaned. "She's not gonna leave us."</p>
<p>"Oh, and how do you know that?"</p>
<p>"...That girl's on a mission, nothing's gonna stop her."</p>
<p>Don looked up at the other two as they hovered over him. "We need her more than she needs us. If she wanted to, she could go find another martial arts instructor. A human one."</p>
<p>"Yeah, I doubt a human sensei's gonna smell like sewer water," Mikey added.</p>
<p>"Look," Raph said sharply, getting Mikey and Don's attention. "Let's just shut up, and watch. 'Kay?"</p>
<p>Mikey and Donnie looked at each other, then shrugged. "'Kay." The trio then focused their attention back on Leo and April.</p>
<p>Leo decided to make the first move, and initiate a conversation with his new student. "I noticed you have some experience, based on that first fight against the Foot Clan..."</p>
<p>"I took karate when I was younger. So did my sister, Robyn." April gazed into the distance, with a faraway expression. "As I got older, I got into newer hobbies like writing, drawing... Robyn, on the other hand, took it much more seriously. She began to learn other martial arts skills, and even won a couple of tournaments."</p>
<p>"I see," said Leo as he listened carefully to her every word.</p>
<p>"We used to spar sometimes, and she would always win, even though I could sense she was holding back big time."</p>
<p>Nodding, he affirmed that he was listening. "Right."</p>
<p>"I'm nowhere near her level, not even close."</p>
<p>"As long as you have the willpower, you can get there," Leo stated thoughtfully.</p>
<p>April looked over at him. "You really think so?"</p>
<p>"We're going to begin with meditation."</p>
<p>Quirking an eyebrow, she asked, "Meditation?"</p>
<p>"Meditation."</p>
<p>Raph, Mikey, and Donnie exchanged glances. "Meditation." They knew <i>exactly</i> what April was in for.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>A few days passed with Leonardo and April mostly practicing various meditation stances. They tried different positions including lying down, chair-sitting, standing, kneeling, and even upside down. Currently, they were in the classic cross-legged sitting stance. Both of them sat there for over an hour. Leonardo's eyes were closed, a peaceful expression on his face as he concentrated. April fidgeted frequently, also opening her eyes every so often to take a peek around the room. To her surprise, this time, Raph and Mikey were in front of her. Raph put his finger to his mouth to indicate silence. Then Mikey went ahead, and put a clown nose on Leo's face followed by a rainbow colored wig on his head, and a bow-tie around Leo's neck. April covered her mouth to contain her laughter. The pair of pranksters quickly made their way out of the room, both waving goodbye to April before turning the corner. Just then Leo came out of his meditative state, so April shut her eyes and pretended to still be meditating.</p>
<p>"April?" asked Leo with a frown.</p>
<p>April then pretended to stretch and yawn. "Golly! That meditation stuff sure is intense!"</p>
<p>Sighing deeply, Leo said, "I know you've been struggling with meditation... You're not focusing..."</p>
<p>She also sighed. "Sorry. It's just... I mean, why are we doing this exactly?"</p>
<p>"Meditation is very important, April. It helps hone your concentration skills, helps you to relax, trains you to pay closer attention to what's happening around you."</p>
<p>"And I need to learn this first?"</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>April stood up. "I'm gonna get some water...then I'll try again."</p>
<p>Leo nodded. "Go ahead."</p>
<p>After April left the room, Donatello made his way in, finding Leo still wearing the ridiculous clown get-up. Chuckling, Don remarked, "Looked in a mirror recently?"</p>
<p>"No, Don, I'm in the middle of teaching April! Whatever you're referring to can wait until we're done with our lesson!"</p>
<p>Don grinned. "Alrighty."</p>
<p>When Don departed, Leo shook his head. "My brothers can be such clowns..."</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>More days went by, more meditation sessions were initiated. Leo and April, yet again, sat side by side as they attempted another round. And Raph and Mikey crept closer to their older brother, this time with black markers in their hands, with the intention to draw stuff on his face. Before the felt tip of Raph's marker could reach his skin, Leo grabbed Raph by the wrist then opened his eyes to glare at him.</p>
<p>"Hey," Raph greeted sheepishly.</p>
<p>"I guess you were expecting another prank, huh?" asked Mikey.</p>
<p>Leo looked agitated as he released Raph. "I'm much more vigilant after the last couple of tricks you two pulled."</p>
<p>Don appeared behind them, peering over at April. "Hey, do you think she's in the <i>zone</i>?"</p>
<p>"It doesn't seem like our shenanigans distracted her this time!" exclaimed Mikey, excited.</p>
<p>"It took her around two weeks, but it seems like she's successful," said Leo. "Not bad."</p>
<p>"Since she's in the zone, maybe I can take the opportunity to pull this prank on her instead!"</p>
<p>"MIKEY!" The three other turtles screamed at him in unison.</p>
<p>"What?! I was gonna draw something cute on her, like cat whiskers!"</p>
<p>At that moment, April opened her eyes. The four turtles gawked at her, wondering what she was going to say. "So...that was...interesting."</p>
<p>Leo was the first to speak, giving her a nod of approval. "That's an understatement. Good job."</p>
<p>"Really? Now that I got that done, we can move on?"</p>
<p>"Yes, we will move on."</p>
<p>April jumped up, pumping her fist in the air. "YES! FINALLY!"</p>
<p>Upon standing up, Leo went over to take a hold of a painting canvas, a jar of black ink, and a brush. "We will be practicing precision with some calligraphy."</p>
<p>"Calligraphy?"</p>
<p>"Yes," Leo noted that her expression was growing increasingly angry. "What's the matter?"</p>
<p>"Are you kidding?" April threw her arms up, exasperated. "I don't have <b>time</b> for this, Leo! I need to get stronger! Now! Every second that goes by is another second that Robyn gets in deeper with these Foot Clan monsters!"</p>
<p>This, in turn, prompted Leo to lose his own patience. "You need to master this before we can move on to learn advanced ninjutsu! If you can't, then I won't teach you any further!"</p>
<p>"Hey, Leo, she's right. You could try speeding this up!" Raph interjected.</p>
<p>"Stay out of this!" Leo barked at Raph before he spoke to April. "What's it going to be then?"</p>
<p>April huffed. "I think we're wasting time!"</p>
<p>"You know what's a waste of time? Trying to teach a weak-willed person who lacks a true desire for learning ninjutsu!"</p>
<p>His words wounded her, much more than she thought they would. Rather than argue with him on it, she decided to flee the scene instead, rushing past the other turtles even as they tried to stop her.</p>
<p>Enraged, Raph turned to Leo. "Your teaching method <b>SUCKS</b>, Leo!"</p>
<p>Leo began to regret what he had said to her, feeling a pang of guilt form in his stomach. He turned around to find Splinter standing there, having observed what happened. Words were at a loss for Leonardo in that moment. Splinter merely motioned for Leo to go after April. As usual, Leo obeyed his master, and hurried off to catch up with his pupil.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>It was a particularly cold night. Due to that, the streets of New York City were significantly less congested than usual. April forgot her jacket, so she had to make do with rubbing her hands against her arms to keep warm as she briskly walked toward her home. Her head was bowed, and she tried as best as she could to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes. If she allowed herself to cry, she would only give validity to Leo's claims that she was 'weak-willed', or so she thought to herself bitterly. She should've known that training under Leonardo was going to crash and burn. Clearly, he hated her, and likely didn't give a damn about her plight regarding Robyn. But if the training wasn't going to work, then what was she supposed to do now?</p>
<p>April rounded the corner, then headed into a back alley that she sometimes used as a shortcut back to her duplex. Unfortunately for her, there was a van blocking the way, and three Foot Clan ninja trying to get away with some stolen items. One of them jumped from the back of the vehicle, coming closer to her.</p>
<p>"Excellent timing," he quipped.</p>
<p>"I guess that depends on who you ask..." April replied, backing away.</p>
<p>When the thug went in to grab April, she managed to evade him, something that surprised even her. Growling, he went in to get a hold of her yet again, and she moved away swiftly. It was as if she was hyper-aware of her surroundings. Could it have been the result of the meditation sessions? Though his third attempt to harm her managed to succeed, causing April to fall to the ground. Just as he was about to kick her, Leonardo jumped down from the adjacent building, landing in front of her to act as a shield, bringing out his blades soon after. The assailant began to back off then turned to head back to the van to gather weaponry and reinforcements.</p>
<p>"April," Leo turned, offering his hand to her. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"</p>
<p>"I'll live..." April took his hand, staring up at him.</p>
<p>Once she was on her feet, he put his hand on her shoulder. "Good. I need you alive."</p>
<p>The sound of feet hitting the ground made Leo and April turn their attention toward the van again. This was when the mysterious ninja clad in black made their grand entrance on the scene. The three Foot thugs picked up some weapons, consisting of shuriken and a kusarigama wielded by the ringleader that attempted to attack April. Although none could see it, the ninja in black was smirking at the sight of the pathetic teenagers holding their 'toys'. A brief scuffle ensued between the Foot Clan ninja and the newcomer, which Leo and April watched in awe. After avoiding the barrage of shuriken thrown, the mysterious ninja managed to stop the iron weight at the end of the chain by deflecting it off the baton they pulled out of its holder on their utility belt. Taking the shuriken off the wall behind them, the ninja in black proceeded to throw them back at the owners, managing to hit the right spots that got them pinned to the brick wall to the side.</p>
<p>"Another ninja in New York City?" April finally managed to say.</p>
<p>Leo frowned. "Doesn't seem to be affiliated with the Foot Clan..."</p>
<p>As the pair talked to each other, they observed the ninja then knock out the three guys with precise strikes to their necks. After finishing the task, the ninja looked toward Leo and April. "Not a bad way to spend a Saturday night, huh?" Their voice was jumbled and distorted, due to using a modulator device.</p>
<p>Raising an eyebrow, April said, "Uh, thanks? I guess?" Something about April seemed to gain the ninja's attention, and they proceeded to take a long, hard look at her. It was almost as if they were scrutinizing her for some reason. Both Leo and April noticed this, with the latter looking creeped out. "Can I help you?"</p>
<p>Before an answer could be given, the three turned to find Tatsu standing at the end of the alleyway. He didn't say a word, merely put his arm out then made a fist. This commanded the dozen Foot Clan lackeys behind him to jump forth and attack their enemies.</p>
<p>"April, stand back!" Leo commanded. "You're not ready for this yet!"</p>
<p>April nodded. "Right!" She went to a hollowed out entryway on the side of the building, proceeding to take cover there.</p>
<p>"Ready to rumble?" The mysterious ninja asked Leo.</p>
<p>He didn't answer, deciding to take to attacking the first wave of enemies as they came close. Every one of them was armed with some kind of weapon, which Leo and his partner had to contend with. They began to dispatch the hoodlums, sometimes multiple ones at the same time. A guy with a mace came behind the mystery ninja while they were contending with a pair of Foot soldiers with brass knuckles, who Leo stopped in his tracks with his katana and some swift kicks that promptly knocked him out. The action was duly noted by the ninja as they successfully fended off the guys they were fighting, and went on to tackle more foes coming at them. Leo handled the tense situation well, rapidly defeating anyone who dared to cross his path. From her hiding spot, April watched them both, thinking about how insanely powerful these two were. In a few minutes, Leo and the interloper were left standing with a pile of passed out bodies surrounding them.</p>
<p>This turn of events left Tatsu livid. A glare was directed at the ninja in black, then at Leonardo. "Why do you interfere in our business?"</p>
<p>"Because you're bad guys. Duh." The mystery ninja then shrugged. Leo said nothing, instead glaring back at Tatsu.</p>
<p>At this point, Tatsu had the choice to take them on himself or return to headquarters. Although he felt he could take them on, he decided to abandon the pawns he released on the two, and strategically retreat to make plans to utterly crush the Foot Clan's enemies. Taking a smoke bomb out, he smashed it against the floor. Leo and April coughed as the overwhelming scent and sensation overloaded their senses, while the mystery ninja's mask provided some protection due to filters in it.</p>
<p>"He's gone," April pointed out when the smoke dispersed. "Should we--"</p>
<p>"He'll be back eventually," the mystery ninja said. "We should tie these guys up, and call the police to round them up."</p>
<p>Leo and April began to assist them in their endeavour, tying each of the Foot Clan ninja one by one. While they did this, Leo observed the mystery ninja, unsure of what to think of them. He and April knew nothing about this person, nor what their true motives might be. Therefore, Leo took it upon himself to push some buttons in order to find out. "You know, you're being a vigilante...doing what you're doing."</p>
<p>To that, the mystery ninja roughly knocked one of the newly tied up bodies down to the ground before turning to Leo. "Gee, I had <b>no</b> idea. Also, it's funny you call me vigilante even though you were doing the same thing I was tonight. Hypocrite."</p>
<p>April looked over at Leo, mouthing 'owch' at him. Groaning, he retorted, "I have my reasons for going after these guys. Though it's very dangerous. I hope you understand that."</p>
<p>"And who's she? Sidekick? Side <i>piece</i>?"</p>
<p>"What, no!" Both Leo and April shouted back at them at the same time.</p>
<p>Proceeding to go on to another Foot Clan member, the ninja then said, "By the way, I know who you are. The Foot talk about you and your group in hushed whispers, and stuff. Four guys wearing trench coats, wearing green face paint."</p>
<p>Running his hand down his face, Leo felt quite embarrassed by that description. "I...see."</p>
<p>"I look forward to working with you, dawg," the ninja remarked as they finished binding the last guy.</p>
<p>"My brothers and I are going to be the ones to defeat the Foot Clan. Do not get involved again. That is my only warning." There was a fierce tone in Leo's words.</p>
<p>A few moments of silence passed until the ninja responded. "I do what I want, green bean."</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"Hey, you," the ninja referred to April. "You better get better if you plan to get involved in this mess."</p>
<p>"Uh...yeah..." April felt self conscious over those words.</p>
<p>"Listen!" Leo called out to the one in the black garment. "I'm serious! I don't want to see you around again!"</p>
<p>"Heh. I have a habit of showing up when people least expect it. Ciao!" With that said, the mysterious ninja ran off, taking a hold of a grappling hook to throw on a nearby rooftop. Once successfully attached to a building, the ninja swung off to parts unknown, leaving Leo and April behind. This had been a strange, confusing turn of events.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>When the police finally arrived after being summoned, it was almost midnight. The streets were even more empty than earlier that evening, well, save for the incoming cop cars into the area. All the businesses were closed, except for the shady bodega with equally shady guys hanging outside of it. Translucent signage still illuminated the vicinity, which made the trek home a little better for Leo and April. They hadn't exchanged a single word to each other since that mystery ninja fled the scene, though they were at least on the same page regarding walking back to the lair rather than hitting the rooftops. Leo kept his hands inside the pockets of his coat, his eyes straight ahead. April was rubbing her arms as she had earlier, feeling even colder than before. Although they occasionally glanced at each other, they still avoided speaking. A part of it was because neither knew what to say to the other.</p>
<p>As they neared the entrance that led into the lair, the silence got to April, and she finally spoke. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for being weak, Leonardo."</p>
<p>His eyes widened at her proclamation. "No, April! Don't apologize! If anyone was being weak-willed...it was me. What I did to you, my student, was disgraceful." Then he bowed to her as a sign of penance. "I'm sorry, April."</p>
<p>"Oh, Leo, don't do that. Please."</p>
<p>Upon her request, he stopped, standing upright again. "Well, I apologize for the way I apologized."</p>
<p>This made her giggle. It was kind of a weird thing to say. Though her mood did shift when she thought about the situation some more. "I shouldn't have been so impatient. I'm just worried about Robyn. I want to feel like I'm doing something, anything, to help her."</p>
<p>Leo smiled at her, feeling more at ease around her. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he said, "I understand. Believe me. Family is important to me, too."</p>
<p>April also began to feel more relaxed in his presence, and she smiled as well. "Your lessons helped me tonight. I was more...focused, and I could dodge more easily. I appreciate it."</p>
<p>"April, I'm glad I've been helping you. I want to be a good teacher, but I also want to be a good <b>friend</b>."</p>
<p>This touched her. "Thanks, Leo. I...I really want us to be friends."</p>
<p>"We have some more work to do, though we'll definitely get to the combat lessons soon enough." Leo sighed, turning to the entrance. "Raph, Don, Mikey... I know you guys are there. Come on out."</p>
<p>"Huh?" asked April, puzzled.</p>
<p>A loud groan came from Raph as he stepped forward first. Don followed, sheepishly waving. Mikey then pushed between them to shout at the pair. "I'm so glad you guys managed to work things out! This calls for a <b>pizza party</b>!"</p>
<p>"Every day is a pizza party day to you, Mike," Donatello remarked.</p>
<p>"Life's a beach, might as well party!"</p>
<p>"Since you were eavesdropping on our conversation, Raph," Leo folded his arms as he spoke. "Do you still think I suck?"</p>
<p>"Oh, you definitely suck," Raph mimicked Leo, smirking all the while. "But not as a teacher."</p>
<p>Splinter then walked forth. "Hello. I was also listening in."</p>
<p>"Whoa, sensei, it's rude to overhear people's conversations." Mikey wagged his finger, teasing him.</p>
<p>"True, Michelangelo, though a good ninja should also gather intel whenever possible."</p>
<p>"I want to learn how to gather intel," April declared.</p>
<p>"Let's start with raiding Mikey's room for comics and junk food!" Raph took April's wrist, and tugged her along toward Mikey's room.</p>
<p>Mikey pouted. "Hey! You could just <b>ask</b> me to share that stuff with you guys!"</p>
<p>Leo turned towards Splinter, nodding at him as a sign that things seemed to be looking up for them. Splinter did the same back, wearing a hopeful smile.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>"Nani shitendayo!" Tatsu yelled at a group of Foot soldiers as they hung out in the rec room. As he stormed over toward them, he knocked down a game cabinet then kicked in one of big screen TVs some guys were watching a movie on. Proceeding on with his rampage, he grabbed one of his own then swung him around until he threw him up against a wall. Then he went over, knocking two against each other until he tossed them off to the side. After grabbing another by the throat and tossing him, he began to savagely beat on the last one until the victim's face was a bloody black and blue mess.</p>
<p>"Bravo," Karai said sarcastically as she mockingly clapped. "You do know we don't have an unlimited amount of pawns, right?" Robyn stood next to her, remaining quiet for the time being.</p>
<p>Tatsu released the guy he was beating, then rushed over to her with an angry expression. "We are being stalked, and attacked...by <b>freaks</b>!"</p>
<p>"And you're scared daddy's gonna blame you?"</p>
<p>Before Tatsu could raise his hand to smack her, Robyn drew the tanto she had been carrying in an attempt to defend Karai. "Don't you touch her!"</p>
<p>"Insolent swine!" Tatsu was then met by another blade, Karai's.</p>
<p>"Naughty, naughty, Tatsu," Karai spoke in a sing-song tone. "Master Shredder would get very upset if he found out you touched a hair on this one's head."</p>
<p>"Why would he care for <b>this</b> wretch?"</p>
<p>Karai retreated away from Tatsu, then put her weapon away before turning toward Robyn. "Our master, in his infinite wisdom, has decided to launch a new initiative in our clan."</p>
<p>"What are you talking about?" asked Tatsu, still willing to get physical if given a chance.</p>
<p>"Elite soldiers whose duty will be to seek out our enemies, and punish them," replied Karai. "Robyn here is going to be amongst the first to receive this...promotion."</p>
<p>Tatsu shot a dirty look at both females. "Why was I not made aware of this?"</p>
<p>"Oops. I guess I forgot to tell you about that meeting earlier."</p>
<p>Rather than answer, Tatsu grabbed a hold of a Foot soldier that was trying to sneak away then shoved him into the wall before storming out of the room.</p>
<p>Karai looked at Robyn, stroking her face gently. "Thank you, Robyn, you're becoming a fine ninja... Make me proud, okay?"</p>
<p>Robyn felt her cheeks redden. "I'll try, Karai-senpai..."</p>
<p>When Karai turned to walk out of the room, Robyn's expression became somewhat uncertain as she wondered if she was doing the right thing for herself. Dwelling on it further, she thought about how this was her home, her family now. This was not the time to look backward. Straightening herself, she wore a stern look as she followed Karai out.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>To Be Continued.</p>
<p>---</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Connection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>---</p>
<p>"Eureka!" exclaimed Donatello as he rummaged through the pile of scrap metal in front of him. It was past midnight in the middle of the junkyard located somewhere in New York City. At this hour, it was mostly dark. The only light in the area came from the mini flashlight Don had strapped to the device on his forehead. For the last month or so, he spent every night coming to this location to sift through their trash, looking for the parts required for the special project he had been working on for a while. Luckily, he was almost finished with it, and the part he found just then was absolutely perfect for what he needed it for. Stuffing the part into a rucksack he brought with him, he felt beyond giddy for a moment. Donatello wasn't exactly a 'giddy' person, that was more Michelangelo's department. Still, he derived much satisfaction for being able to come one step closer to completing his task.</p>
<p>It was now exactly thirty three days, two hours, five minutes, and twenty six seconds since April came into their lives now. Donnie knew the exact time because he set one of the many timers in his room the moment Raphael brought her into their lair. Since then, he kept it going. Why? Even he wasn't entirely sure <i>why</i>. One thing was certain, however, her arrival into their lives seemed to throw them into a fair bit of chaos. He had no idea how to feel about her, even if her presence piqued his curiosity. A lot of the time, he kept his distance from her, opting to do other things while she tended to hang around his other brothers more, especially Raph and Mikey.</p>
<p>Being around a human so much lately did dredge up some sour memories for Donatello. It felt as though all of his direct interactions with humans, before April at least, hadn't gone well at all. During the brief time he and his brothers were kept captive in a laboratory before they met Splinter, he vaguely remembered being mistreated by the ones who worked there. As a scientist himself, he always felt disappointment in the way those people had handled him and the others. Again, though, he didn't have vivid memories of the time spent there. There was a memory that he had hidden away, and could recall all too well. The smiling face of a brown haired girl, one that matched his own at the time. As nice as he thought it was, the sweetness of that moment led to a lot of pain and anguish that he preferred not to remember.</p>
<p>Shaking his head, he decided to discard those thoughts, and go back to the matters at hand. Now that he finished with his rummaging, he could go back to the lair, to his work. Just as he was preparing to leave the site, he heard voices and footsteps quickly approaching. Without much time to make a swift escape, he merely blended into the shadows of the junk around him. From where he hid, he observed the incoming trespassers (well, he was also a trespasser technically..). Four human teenagers entered the scene then. There was an athletic looking young man with light brown skin and dark eyes, wearing a dark green camo patterned t-shirt with black pants, who had his arm around a bespectacled goth girl with dark brown hair with a purple streak on it, which Don approved of since he happened to like the color. Two others followed behind the couple. There was an African American guy with a purple mohawk, that Don also seemed to approve of with some reservations over the hairstyle, and a red jacket with blue jeans. Next to him was a chubby Caucasian male with messy blond hair, and wearing grey, baggy clothing. What a strange lot, Donatello thought to himself. The guys were all hooting and hollering while the girl remained silent, almost appearing embarrassed by their behavior.</p>
<p>"This is it! This is the spot!" The ringleader shouted as he pointed at a manhole cover, the one Don needed to use to go back home.</p>
<p>Rubbing his hands in glee, the dude with the mohawk said, "Oh boy, this is gonna be good!"</p>
<p>"Uh, Hun, sweetie..." It was the sole female's turn to speak to her presumed boyfriend. "What did you say was...down there?"</p>
<p>"Rumor has it, an albino alligator escaped from some zoo or somethin', and it's loose in the sewers around here."</p>
<p>"An albino alligator, huh?" Nervously, she adjusted her glasses.</p>
<p>"Don't worry, baby, I'll protect you from the big bad <b>gator</b>!" Hun made a chomping motion toward her, spooking her, and prompting him and his pals to burst out into laughter. Don didn't approve, though he knew better than to get involved in human affairs.</p>
<p>"So," the chubby guy began as he took out his pocket knife. "We gonna go hunt this thing or what?"</p>
<p>"Definitely. Let's get down there. Babe, I want you with us so you can watch as I catch this thing."</p>
<p>Her eyes widened, and she tipped her head to the side. "I...dunno... I could just wait here--"</p>
<p>"No!" Hun scowled. "We're <b>all</b> going in."</p>
<p>"Hey, boss, it's okay if she stays here, and keeps watch or buys us some grub at the bodega nearby..." proposed the one with the mohawk.</p>
<p>"Ooh, maybe she can get us that super greasy philly cheesesteak from there!" cried the other underling enthusiastically.</p>
<p>"Aww, man, that'd hit the spot!"</p>
<p>Hun knocked their heads together. "Shut it, you two! We're going in right now!"</p>
<p>"S-sorry..." Both of them managed to say, in spite of the pain.</p>
<p>"Come on," Hun commanded as he lifted the manhole cover, casually tossing it away like a discus into a pile of trash. "Hurry it up!"</p>
<p>Hun's two lackeys rushed over, both briefly arguing over who'd go in first. Meanwhile, the girl stood where she was, the worry drawn across her face. Pulling out her phone, she wondered if she should contact her best friend. A sigh came from her as she figured it'd be a bad idea as it would only serve to piss her boyfriend off more. Instead she decided to turn off her phone, which flashed a colorful 'Goodbye, Irma' message before it went to black. As she wandered closer to the manhole, she gulped. The last time she was in a place like that, she did not have a very good time. All she hoped was that she wouldn't run into any <i>frogs</i> in the sewers before she went over to climb in after the others.</p>
<p>After watching the four disappear into the hole, Don's mind began to run through all the possibilities in computer-like fashion. His big worry was that they would somehow stumble onto the lair. Sure, the turtles' home wasn't close by, but that didn't mean that they might not somehow find it. The last thing he wanted was for those morons to discover them. If that Hun fellow got excited over a creature that likely didn't exist, then finding out about the existence of his brothers and himself would probably get him really riled up, maybe so much that he'd also bring in a camera crew with him. For now, he decided to tail them just to make sure they didn't go anywhere close to the sewer den.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>As they traversed the sewers, Hun and the two chuckleheads that followed him around were hooting and hollering quite loudly. Irma lagged behind them, rubbing her arms since she felt quite cold down there. Not a great day to go sleeveless, she thought to herself bitterly. Aside from the sounds coming from the boys, Irma heard the water dripping from the pipes up above which she found pretty creepy. In fact, the whole atmosphere of the sewer was totally unsettling. It brought back memories from her childhood, of the time she ventured into a place like this. Caught off guard, she bumped right into Hun, who'd stopped to wait for her.</p>
<p>"What's the matter? Scared?" asked Hun mockingly.</p>
<p>Irma bit her bottom lip for a moment. "Well... It's kinda dark, and damp, and--"</p>
<p>"Geez. You're slowing us down, so..." Hun paused to then push Irma off the platform, and into the sewage water. "Bye bye."</p>
<p>Shrieking, Irma landed in the slop as Hun and his goons laughed, and high fived each other. A few moments later, they departed while being their noisy selves. When the only sound she could hear was the dripping, she figured she was alone, and began to pick herself up. She had the urge to cry, though the smell and sensation of having been in the filthy water stifled her from doing so. Taking a hold of her purse, she slung it around her arm awkwardly as it was quite waterlogged. Feeling around, she tried to find her glasses, which got flung off her face during the fall.</p>
<p>"Great..." Irma murmured as she searched around.</p>
<p>Nearby, Donatello had observed the entire scenario. Although Hun's actions made him angry, he decided to stay out of it. Revealing himself was too risky, and he had to put his own safety, and that of his family, over sticking his neck out for a stranger. Even if there was something about said stranger that made him want to protect her. The least he could do was help her get her glasses back. Carefully, he lowered himself from the pipe he had been situated on. After doing some quick calculations, he figured out where the specs landed, though how was he going to alert her of this? As his foot reached the floor, it scraped against the concrete, making a noise that Irma immediately noticed.</p>
<p>"Who's there!?" cried the girl as she looked around. "Hun? Is that you? Guys..?"</p>
<p>Don stood still, hoping the darkness could conceal him well enough to avoid detection.</p>
<p>"Hello?" Irma attempted to climb back onto the platform, awkwardly lifting herself up.</p>
<p>From the corner of his eye, Don saw something approaching Irma as she had her back turned. The creature was stealthy, maybe more so than the ninja turtle. As it got closer, its mouth opened wide, waiting for the chance to strike. Don had little time to act, and he ditched all of his concerns about safety, knowing this girl's life was on the line. Jumping around strategically, he then got in front of Irma, grabbing her arms quickly to pull her out of the water. Gasping, Irma was shocked by what was going on. The pair then looked behind them, finding the famed albino alligator as it nearly clamped its mouth on Irma. It was humongous; longer and thicker than either of them could have anticipated.</p>
<p>Donatello scooped Irma up into his arms then retreated just as the enemy alligator attempted to throw itself onto the walkway to go after them. Gators were fast, Don knew this. He also knew that they tended to get tired just as quickly. Thus he decided to propel himself from wall to wall, gaining some distance from the reptile. Thus Don managed to lose it.</p>
<p>Eventually, Don took refuge in a tunnelway. Both he and Irma were panting, realizing that had been way too <i>close</i>.</p>
<p>Now that they were out of harm's way, their minds began to focus more on their current situation. Irma looked Donatello over, her hand over her mouth as she did so. In turn, he gazed upon her. Realization washed over both of them as they began to recognize one another.</p>
<p>Swallowing hard, she couldn't resist the urge to yell. "Donatello?!"</p>
<p>"Irma..." Don managed to say softly.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>"No way... No way... No way!" Irma cried out as she paced back and forth.</p>
<p>Donatello had taken a seat on the ground, his fist under his chin as he watched her do this over and over with a bored expression on his face. "Yep."</p>
<p>"No! You're not supposed to be real!" Irma finally stopped, pointing her finger at him. "You're a figment of my imagination!"</p>
<p>"I'm real."</p>
<p>"My therapist, the...sixteenth one at least, suggested I used this imagined past trauma in order to cope with my parents' divorce when I was a child! I'm going through a traumatic experience right now, so here's the weird frog monster again!"</p>
<p>Rolling his eyes, Don stood up, and stared her down. "First of all, your therapist is a quack!"</p>
<p>"Well, she did seem a little eccentric at times..."</p>
<p>"Second of all, I'm not a frog! I'm very clearly a <b>turtle</b>!" He turned around to demonstrate. "See, I have a shell!"</p>
<p>"I...didn't notice the shell all those years ago, I guess..."</p>
<p>"Finally, Irma," Going toward her, he took a hold of her hand, and placed it on his plastron. "I'm <i>real</i>."</p>
<p>Her hand upon him, she looked up at him. That was what finally convinced her that he was, indeed, right in front of her. A confused expression formed as she thought this over. "So...we really did meet back then, as kids..."</p>
<p>Donatello blinked a few times before responding. "Yes, we did."</p>
<p>They both stood quietly in front of each other for a brief while, unsure of where to go from there. All they could do was think back to the past, to when they first met...</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>At the tender age of seven, Irma was actually quite mousy and dainty. Her attire back then was much different than what she wore as a teenager, her wardrobe consisting of things like a baggy light blue sweater with dark blue footless tights, and a cartoonishly large scrunchie keeping a part of her hair in place. That day, she was at the local park, accompanied by April, and their mutual friend Casey while Robyn babysat them. April grabbed Irma by the wrist, pulling her along, all while grinning with a mouth full of baby teeth gaps. Casey hung upside down on the jungle gym.</p>
<p>"Let's play a game!" April suggested as she adjusted her baseball cap. At the time, she had been going through a phase where she dressed more similarly to Casey, sporting caps, shorts, and wearing a t-shirt underneath a basketball jersey. "How about hide and seek?"</p>
<p>"Why? So I can find you two in under a minute?" Casey laughed soon after. "You guys suck at hiding."</p>
<p>"That's not true! Tell him, Irma!"</p>
<p>Irma sighed. "I don't know... I think we do. Last time, he found us in, well, under a minute..."</p>
<p>April pulled Irma away, whispering to her. "We gotta prove that we're good at hiding!"</p>
<p>"Um... Okay, sure."</p>
<p>"Try to find a really good spot to hide in! The last place Casey will ever think to find you!"</p>
<p>Irma nodded, though she wasn't sure if she could possibly find such a place. "Right. I'll try."</p>
<p>Casey popped his head between them. "Well, girls? Ready?"</p>
<p>Sticking her tongue out at him, April replied, "Are <i>you</i> ready to get your butt kicked?"</p>
<p>"Big words! Let's see you back it up! Ten... Nine..."</p>
<p>With the beginning of the countdown, both girls bolted in different directions. Robyn looked up from the pre-teen magazine she was reading to shout a warning to the kids. "Don't leave the boundaries of the park, you guys!"</p>
<p>Irma sprinted away from the spot she had been standing on. Looking back, she caught a glimpse of Casey already going in the direction April went in. Where could she go that he would never think to find her, and stay within the boundaries of the park as Robyn commanded? Then she saw the storm drain on the sidewalk across the street of the park. It was still within the boundaries of the park, wasn't it? Discarding any hesitance, Irma rushed over to it, then managed to crawl through the opening. Carefully, she lowered herself down onto the sewer below.</p>
<p>For a few seconds, Irma felt proud of herself. Casey would <b>never</b> find her in there. However, she then realized that <i>nobody</i> would ever be able to find her there either. Looking around, she saw that it was dark, damp, and rather scary. Immediately, she began to yell out for help, jumping up and down, also realizing she couldn't climb out of the sewer. Nobody could hear her pleas due to the loud sounds of the streets of New York, like taxi cabs honking and people talking loudly on their phones.</p>
<p>Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she felt the despair settle in. "April! Casey! Mommyyyyy!"</p>
<p>"Hey, what's wrong?"</p>
<p>The voice prompted the girl to jerk her head up. "Wh-who's there?"</p>
<p>"I'm Donatello..."</p>
<p>Squinting her eyes, she could only see an outline in the darkness ahead, though judging from the short height and his voice, he seemed to be around her age. Thus she felt a little relieved. "Donatello? That's a weird name."</p>
<p>"I'm named after a Renaissance artist. Donato di Niccolo di Betto Bardi."</p>
<p>"Donato <i>what</i>?"</p>
<p>"Well, Donatello is what he's known as. He was a famous sculptor."</p>
<p>Irma got up, wiping her tears away with her sleeve. "I'm Irma Langinstein. I was named after my grandma."</p>
<p>"So...what brings you down here, Irma?" He set down a big bag that he had been lugging around.</p>
<p>"I was playing hide and seek with my friends--"</p>
<p>"Say no more," Don interjected. "You thought this would be a good place to hide, and now you're stuck. Correct?"</p>
<p>"Yeah..."</p>
<p>"I can help you get back up to the street."</p>
<p>This perked her up considerably. "Wow, really?!"</p>
<p>"There's just one...problem."</p>
<p>"What is it?"</p>
<p>Don sighed very deeply. "Don't freak out."</p>
<p>"Um..." Irma watched as he stepped out into the light. Her eyes widened when she saw him. A turtle (well, a frog in her eyes) with a red bandana over his eyes, carrying what appeared to be a stick to her. This frightened her, causing her to back into the wall behind her. Although she wanted to scream, she couldn't find her voice in the moment.</p>
<p>"It's okay. I know I look...strange. But I'm a kid just like you are."</p>
<p>"Kids don't have green skin! And you're...kind of wet, and you smell weird!"</p>
<p>This made Don sigh again. "Don't be scared of me, Irma. I promise, I won't hurt you. I'll take you up to the surface."</p>
<p>Irma closed an eye, though still stared at him with the other. "You <i>really</i> promise?"</p>
<p>"I won't just promise. I swear!"</p>
<p>"Wow... You do mean business."</p>
<p>Offering his hand to her, he said, "Take my hand. I'll show you the way."</p>
<p>Reluctantly, Irma took a hold of his hand. "Slimy..."</p>
<p>"Sorry, I can't help it." Don took a few steps forward, then took a hold of the bag he had been holding. "Can't forget this."</p>
<p>"What's in that bag?" Please don't be body parts, the young Irma thought to herself.</p>
<p>Donatello smiled at her. "I collect junk I find down here, and take it back home. I like to fix some of them up, take some apart, build new things."</p>
<p>Irma nodded, now finding herself following Don as he began to trek down the tunnel. "I see..."</p>
<p>"Results are mixed. I kind of fail more than I succeed."</p>
<p>"Hm, okay..."</p>
<p>They stopped talking for a few minutes as Don led her on toward the manhole cover with a ladder that was often used to enter and exit this area. Don took a few peeks back at her. His heart raced as he thought about how he might have made a new friend, and he was intrigued that he was interacting with a real human being. Irma, on the other hand, was quite uncomfortable. All she could think about was how she wanted him to hurry up so she could get out of there. Her heart also raced, though out of fear.</p>
<p>It didn't take long for Don to reach the destination. "I'll go first, and lift the manhole cover. It might be a bit heavy for you. Once it's done, you can climb out, and go back to your friends or family."</p>
<p>Irma was relieved, and she smiled. "Really?"</p>
<p>"Yeah!" Don smiled back, quite pleased.</p>
<p>"Thank you, um, Donatello."</p>
<p>His cheeks reddened at that. "It's nothing. I just want to help."</p>
<p>"I guess I'll--"</p>
<p>"Listen, Irma, do you think...you could come back?"</p>
<p>Irma paused. "Come back? Here?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, maybe we can play together! I can make you a doll or something!"</p>
<p>"S-sure..." She answered nervously. Although she didn't mean it, she feared he might not let her go if she rejected his offer.</p>
<p>"Great! Maybe we can meet back in that spot where we first met next Saturday, at around this time. Do you want to do that?"</p>
<p>"Aha..."</p>
<p>"Okay, I'll be waiting." Don then proceeded to go up, and lifted the lid for her.</p>
<p>Once he went down, Irma quickly went up the ladder, then hurried out of there until she was back in the park. Robyn, April, and Casey had been looking for her, and the babysitter went on to scold her for running off. Don had been watching from the manhole cover, though struggling to keep it steady with his hands. Still, he was glad that she got back to her group safely. Now all he could think about was seeing her again, delighted that he had a new playmate.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Days later, the younger Donatello found himself sitting in the spot he had originally met Irma in. In his hands, he held a doll that he had made for her, one that he found floating in the sewage water then 'rescued' by creating new clothes and accessories out of random materials he had found down there. The sun was beginning to set, darkness settling in outside which made the sewer system even darker than normal. The smile that had been on his face began to fade. Irma wasn't coming.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>"You never did come back. I went back there, for weeks, after you said you'd return the following Saturday!" Donatello exclaimed, having remembered those painful memories.</p>
<p>Irma hung her head, frowning. "I was scared, Donatello."</p>
<p>He scowled at her words. "Of course you were..." There was a bitterness in his tone.</p>
<p>"What did you expect? I was a little girl! You were...strange! You were a...monster, to me!"</p>
<p>That hurt. A lot. Don knew that had been the truth, it was something he had figured out on his own after dwelling on the interaction over the years. But listening to her admit that was like pouring a can of salt on wounds that were still fresh. Closing his eyes, he tried to remain calm and collected. Becoming emotional would do neither of them any good. "I...understand. I'm a mutant, therefore a monster to humans like you. It's only natural that you don't trust me."</p>
<p>Irma felt pity for him. Even though she had feared him, she had been grateful for what he did for her back then. Well, this was what she thought during the brief intervals when she doubted that she had completely fabricated that story. Sadly, she still had some lingering fear of him, in spite of the fact he had basically saved her again. "I developed a phobia of frogs after that, since I thought you were one. Kind of silly now that I know you're a turtle."</p>
<p>Growing tired of this conversation, Don said, "I'm going to check if the coast is clear. If it is, I'm going to escort you topside."</p>
<p>"Right..."</p>
<p>He took a look around the corner from where they were stationed at. To his shock, he saw the alligator lurking about right nearby. His skin turned white, almost the same color as their current enemy. Noticing this, Irma decided to take her own look. Just as she was about to gasp, Don covered her mouth then pulled her away. "Shhhh."</p>
<p>A moment after he removed his hand, Irma cried, "What are we going to do?!"</p>
<p>"Listen, Irma. We're going to be fine. Just remain calm." Don then reached down to his belt to take a hold of his communicator, to contact his brothers. Unfortunately, he then realized he had left it behind at the lair. Thus he was on his own. "I never told you, but I'm a ninja."</p>
<p>"A...ninja? Seriously?"</p>
<p>"Yes. This bandana is a symbol that I belong to a clan." He pointed to his now purple bandana.</p>
<p>"I thought you were just making a weird fashion statement."</p>
<p>"I also wield a bo staff, and underwent years of extensive training. I'm telling you this because I want you to trust me now."</p>
<p>"Donatello?"</p>
<p>"What is it?"</p>
<p>"Pinch me."</p>
<p>He made a face. "What?"</p>
<p>Irma pointed to her cheek. "I need to know that this isn't a dream. Please."</p>
<p>Instead, he took his staff and gently bonked her on the head. "Definitely not a dream."</p>
<p>"Ow." It didn't hurt, though Irma was still annoyed at his action.</p>
<p>"Time to formulate a plan," he muttered to himself as he rubbed his fingers against his chin.</p>
<p>Neither spoke for several moments, which frustrated Irma as she disliked the silence that ensued there. "In a nature documentary that I watched a while ago, it said that they have poor eyesight..."</p>
<p>"Right, I knew that already. In fact, I believe that might help us gain an upper hand against our scaly foe."</p>
<p>"Oh?" inquired Irma as she stepped closer to him.</p>
<p>"The best way to defeat an alligator is to go for its eyes. Blind your foe, and you're good to go."</p>
<p>"Did you seriously rhyme on purpose there?"</p>
<p>Donatello groaned. "Anyway! I just need something sharp. My bo staff isn't that, though maybe if I whack its face hard enough--"</p>
<p>"Hang on a sec!" Irma dug around her still wet bag until she found a nail file. "Would this do, or is it too small?"</p>
<p>His eyes lit up, and a grin formed on his face. "Perfect!"</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Donatello got himself ready for the upcoming combat against the alligator. He did some quick stretches as a warm-up then pulled his staff out to inspect. Then he took the nail file out of the pocket of his utility belt, nodding as he thought about how this would be the linchpin for this ordeal. After taking a deep breath, he turned to speak to Irma, who stood there, looking worried. "Don't worry. If I execute this plan with little trouble, we should both be alright. Just stay back here while I fight that animal off."</p>
<p>"You sure about that?"</p>
<p>"Like I said before, I'm a ninja. I'm used to a little danger."</p>
<p>Irma sighed. "Are you really a ninja?"</p>
<p>Clenching his jaw at that, he then crossed his arms. "Yes, Irma. I'm <i>really</i> a ninja."</p>
<p>"A ninja turtle... Yep, I'm officially a crazy magnet..."</p>
<p>He relaxed soon after. "Keep yourself hidden until he's done for."</p>
<p>"What if...you don't make it?"</p>
<p>"Let's not dwell on that for now." Don tried to maintain a confident demeanor, but he wasn't Leo, Raph, or Mikey. Bluffing and machismo were not his fortes, clearly.</p>
<p>Irma's brow furrowed, though she knew that he was her best shot at getting out of there alive. "Be careful, Donatello..."</p>
<p>He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You stay safe, and wait here."</p>
<p>Reluctantly, she nodded. As he was heading out to go confront the alligator, she muttered under her breath, "I really don't deserve that..." She had been thinking back to how she had hurt him all those years ago, feeling quite guilty over it.</p>
<p>Donatello slowly began to approach the alligator as it had its back turned to him. Stealth was always one of Don's greatest strengths as a ninja. He needed to be extremely cautious, he knew that. All he had to do was get the drop on his enemy, and he would have a higher chance of success. Unfortunately, the gator seemed to know he was coming, swiftly moving toward Don with its mouth open wide. Don had to react, and fast. Lifting his staff horizontally, he managed to block the creature from clamping down on his body. However, now he had to wrangle the angry beast as it thrashed about. Although he struggled momentarily under the gator's weight, he managed to prop his feet against its belly then flipped it over, sending it flying across the way, and into a wall. For a brief moment, Don wondered if he had thwarted it. The alligator picked itself back up, and turned to face Donatello.</p>
<p>"I guess you're not going down easily," said Don as he took the nail file out, preparing to use it.</p>
<p>In return, the alligator huffed angrily before charging towards the turtle again. This time, Don managed to dodge the gator. After he landed back on the ground, he kept his eyes upon his adversary, then gesturing for it to come closer. With a loud growl, the gator obliged. In an unexpected move, the alligator moved its body in such a way that threw Don off balance. Once Don was on the ground, he was now vulnerable to the gator's attacks, especially since he dropped the nail file.</p>
<p>Irma, having been spectating off in the sidelines, was horrified when Donatello fell down. The gator had begun to wrestle with Don, who was struggling to keep it from biting down on him. This was it! Now or never! Well, those were the thoughts racing through her head as she ran out into the fray. Picking up the nail file, she went toward the chomping monster.</p>
<p>"Let him go!" screamed Irma as she slashed at the alligator's eye. Due to that, the gator forgot all about Donatello. It shrieked in pain, shaking its head. Hastily, Irma helped Don up. "Are you okay?"</p>
<p>"I'm better off than our pal over there..." replied Donatello, taking a hold of his bo, which also hit the ground during the scuffle.</p>
<p>They watched for a few moments as the gator continued to react with pained growls. Don went over, deciding to make things right. He managed to take a hold of its face, even as it thrashed about. After a bit of grappling, he put his fingers against a spot near its ear. It was a pressure point that helped to relax the gator, then knock the creature out temporarily.</p>
<p>"Wow, why didn't you lead with that?" Irma asked.</p>
<p>"Not as easy as it looks... Besides, it only worked because the alligator was weakened already."</p>
<p>"What're you gonna do now?"</p>
<p>"After I take you topside, I'll head back to my home, and get my brothers to help me take this guy somewhere safe... I do know of an animal conservatory we can take him to."</p>
<p>Irma scratched her cheek. "Brothers?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, I guess I forgot to mention there's more of my kind, didn't I?"</p>
<p>This led Irma to groan. "I think I'm ready to go home. Now."</p>
<p>He grinned. "You mean you're not eager to stay in the sewers a little longer?"</p>
<p>Irma frumped. "Wipe that grin off your face."</p>
<p>"Okay, I'll lead the way."</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Donatello and Irma stood in front of each other, right near the ladder that she had entered the sewer from. They were quiet, just standing around, uncertain of what to say next. Was this goodbye then? Goodbye forever? It was rather confusing since they didn't really consider one another a friend, though there seemed to be some kind of <i>bond</i> there. Don looked at her, and while he couldn't shake the hurt he felt all those years ago, he still had the same curiosity over her that he did back then. Irma looked at him, and while she was still afraid and confused by his very existence, she still felt gratitude for everything he had done for her.</p>
<p>"Hey, Donatello?" Irma finally mustered up the will to say something to him.</p>
<p>He leaned against his staff as he spoke back to her. "What is it?"</p>
<p>"Um..." Before she could say anything else, the sound of Hun and his pals' voices came echoing from close by. "Oh, no! You should probably--" She stopped herself when she realized Don had already departed the scene.</p>
<p>"Hey, hey," Hun greeted Irma, putting his arm around her after he got close to her. "You made your way down here? Came looking for me?"</p>
<p>Irma forced a smile. "You know what, Hun-ny?"</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"Drop <b>dead</b>!" Irma pulled away from him, then went up the ladder.</p>
<p>Hun was stunned by her defiance. His pals had to hold back some chuckles.</p>
<p>Once she got to the top, Irma immediately hopped out, taking a long breath of fresh air. She was finally free! Free of being Hun's girlfriend! Free of being stuck in the sewer! Free from... Donatello's face flashed right then, and she found herself missing him. But how could she miss someone she barely knew? Or better yet, how could she miss someone that wasn't even the same species as her? Regardless, she wondered if she would ever see him again.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>A few days had passed since the interaction with Irma, and Donatello kept himself busy with his pet project. After months of work, it was finally complete. He surveyed the end result for several seconds with a proud smile on his face before he covered it up with a tarp. Then he ran to the other room where his brothers were currently engaged in different activities, with Leo practicing some maneuvers with his sword while Raph and Mikey played their co-op video games together.</p>
<p>"Hey, guys!" Don called out to them. "I've got something to show you all!"</p>
<p>"Does it have anything to do with pie?" asked Mikey as he kept his eyes on the game.</p>
<p>"Pie? What? No."</p>
<p>"I could really go for a slice of pie right now. Maybe cherry...or pecan."</p>
<p>"Pecan's gross, man," Raph interjected absently.</p>
<p>"Nuh uh! Pecan's awesome!"</p>
<p>Growing impatient, Don decided to stop that argument from escalating. "Okay! It has nothing to do with pie! I...I finished the thing I've been working on lately."</p>
<p>This prompted the three turtles to stop what they were doing. Leo, in particular, exhibited shock. "Really? You actually got it done?"</p>
<p>"Well, yeah. It's not like me to leave a project unfinished!" Donnie exclaimed. He then gestured at his brothers to follow him. "Come on! You guys need to see this!"</p>
<p>They followed him into the large, open area that they tended to use to store things, which also included a very convenient ramp that led upwards onto the street above. It was the perfect place to store what Don had made. The three ninjas noticed there was something large being covered with a tarp in the middle of the room, and they exchanged excited looks with each other. They seemed to have an idea of what it might be.</p>
<p>"Did you make a pizza oven, Don??" Michelangelo asked giddily.</p>
<p>Leo and Raph frowned. Maybe they didn't all have an idea of what it might be...</p>
<p>"No, no, though that might be my next project!" Don smiled and shot him a thumbs up.</p>
<p>"Niiice."</p>
<p>"Now for the grand reveal!" Donatello then pulled the covering off, finally revealing the fruit of his labor.</p>
<p>For all those months, Don had been working on extensively customizing a broken down RV, turning it into a sweet ride for himself and his family. He had painted it a light yellow, also adding some green to the roof, window sills, and on the front bumper. The engine had been replaced with something that would 'give it a kick if need be', according to Don. Each window had been replaced with bullet proof glass. There was a platform that could pop out from the inside, with a cannon that could be used to fire projectiles. There were also various goodies inside like a TV, a lounge, a bathroom, and a small room in the back for living purposes. As icing on the cake, he added a turtle shaped charm hanging from the mirror in front of the driver seat.</p>
<p>Donnie duly noted the silence as his brothers gawked at the vehicle. "What do you guys think?"</p>
<p>"This..." Leo began.</p>
<p>"Is..." continued Raph.</p>
<p>"<b>AWESOME</b>!" screamed Mikey.</p>
<p>Don clapped. "Yeah! Isn't it?!"</p>
<p>"I can't believe we've got a <b>car</b>!" Raphael exclaimed as he ran his hand along the side of it.</p>
<p>"Well, it's not a <i>car</i>, it's a RV."</p>
<p>"Whatever. It's probably the coolest thing you've made. See, I guess all that nerdwork paid off in the end!"</p>
<p>Although Don was frustrated by Raph's lack of respect toward his craft, he was still happy to see him and the others in such awe. "We should probably take it for a test drive soon."</p>
<p>"I do think that's an excellent idea, my sons," said Splinter, causing all four to turn to look at him. "I shall conduct your driving tests before allowing you to drive."</p>
<p>Leo, Raph, Don, and Mikey's faces turned white. Splinter had been a harsh and strict ninjutsu teacher... Imagine what he'd be like as a driving instructor!</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>To Be Continued.</p>
<p>---</p>
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